


The book of modern living for the werewolf

by germfreeAdolescent



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha!Dean, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta!Sam, Dean/a lot of others sex, Dubious Consent, M/M, Monsters, Multi, Pack Dynamics, Sexual Fantasy, The sacred book of the werewolf AU, angels are human, different monster species dynamics, every which way sex, everyone else is a monster or spirit of some sort, kitsune!Cas, multiple names Cas, omega!cas, orgy sex, painfully slow build Dean/cas, there IS a plot, utterly dubious story telling, wellness guru! Cas, werewolf!Milligan, werewolf!Winchesters, wrong species but eventual true mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-25 10:50:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 134,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4957489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/germfreeAdolescent/pseuds/germfreeAdolescent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Winchester loved his family.<br/>Sam dreamt of going to school. Dean just wanted more porn and Kevin’s mum was determined her son would one day make president. None of them were going to let a little thing like death stand in their way.</p>
<p>An AU based on Victor Pelevin’s ‘The sacred book of the werewolf’</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing!! This is un-beta’ed and my first attempt at writing in years!!!  
> First time using this site!! So big learning curve. Hope its ok

~~~

It was a god awful storm.  
The two brothers took refuge in a shepherds hut high up on the hiker’s trail they were following. They had packed for bad weather, not for this level of shit storm.  
“My stuff’s completely soaked” Sam said tipping out the meagre contents of his rucksack onto the floor and shaking out all the excess water for added emphasis”  
“Good thing I packed these babies then” Dean smiled striking his lighter and only getting a fitful spark in return “Shit! Fuck! Balls!” he cursed till he finally struck lucky and held the weak flame against a solid fuel tablet in the small hearth. Fumes from the tablet and smoke from age old debris and dirt filled the small hut causing the brothers to cough. Sam reached for the door that they had so eagerly closed against the storm moments before to let more air in.  
“Yeah real lucky you packed those and not a regular gas heater like everyone else” He coughed “Where the hell did you even find them?”  
“Dad’s old pack”  
They both fell silent, despite the wonderful heat now being thrown off of the over enthusiastic little tablet the hut felt very much much colder.  
“Do you think...”  
“Shut up Sammy. We’d know if he was dead. He isn’t”  
“It’s been five years Dean”  
“Yeah? So? You disappeared longer, never crossed my mind that you’d be dead”  
“I did leave a note saying I was at school” Sam mumbled spreading out his ammo, maps and change of clothes to dry better “And he’s going to be pissed that you went through his stuff”  
“Heh, well he won’t mind when tell him we’ve been hunting” Dean said finding a convenient stick to poke a possible bird but more likely rat nest out of the chimney flue with.  
The wind picked up violently ripping through the hut like a tidal wave soaking everything the storm hadn’t already claimed; as soon as he could Sam got behind the wooden door and bodily forced it shut again  
“He will mind when we tell him in what conditions we thought we could track whatever it is down in” Sam grumbled scrubbing the wet bangs from his eyes and dropping petulantly back down to salvage his stuff.  
Dean pulled the map out from where the wind had rudely deposited it in the fire. Luckily it was too wet to burn and Dean dusted it off as best he could, flattening it out to examine under the fitful light their fuel block was still giving out despite the new deluge.  
“We won’t need to track it” Dean said confidently “This thing has been taking hikers every two months like clockwork. With this weather we will be the only hikers up here for it to hunt and we’ll be ready!”  
“With our wet guns and our wet ammo” Sam pouted rubbing his arms as his rain soaked clothes began to turn cold now they’d stopped moving.  
“With the silver knives” Dean corrected pulling off his wet coat with some difficulty in the cramped space “Shit were all herders four foot tall or did we just strike lucky with the only hobbit sized sheep farmers round here?”  
There was a sudden heavy thud against the door. Both brothers jumped to attention. The wind howled and the cracking of trees splintering in the distance could be heard outside.  
Sam turned to Dean his wide eyes emphasised further by the firelight “Do you think...”  
The thud sounded again it was no coincidence something was outside and was now ripping at the turf roof trying to dig its way in  
“Shit” said Dean as he wrestled his arms free from the wet sleeves of his jacket while Sam scrambled through his wet layers to get to his knife sheaved beneath.  
“Shit” Said Dean as he hit his head on the low ceiling dropping his own knife  
“It might just be a bear” Sam whispered as a deep snuffling and a loud snort could be heard through the new hole in the roof.  
“Still gonna have to kill the bitch” Dean said retrieving his blade and finally looking battle ready, sort of.  
Outside there was only the storm to be herd  
“A bear would be sacred of the fire” Sam whispered “We could just scare it off”  
“Maybe the smell of you shitting yourself already did”  
Sam turned to give Dean a look of utter hatred “Say’s the guy shaking so hard he dropped his knife”  
“I hit my head dip-shit and nearly brained myself!”  
“You’d actually need a brain for that”  
“Would a bit of sympathy actually kill you bitch?”  
“Shh, where’d it go?”  
Outside it was eerily quiet.  
Time stood still as they strained their ears to hear anything above the howl of the storm.  
Moments turned into minutes that stretched on for hours and still nothing. Sam was just about to relax the death grip on his blade when the simple wooden latch on the door rattled, then lifted. The door flew open with the force of the wind and a man stepped in breathing heavily and quickly pushing the door shut behind him.  
Dean had been about to launch himself at the shadowy figure before he recognized it as human. Both the boys exchanged looks as they took in the utter madness of the situation.  
The man leant heavily against the door catching his breath and sniffing the air.  
“Didn’t I give you specific orders to keep out of my fucking stuff?” He growled  
Dean’s jaw dropped as he recognized the voice, Sam stepped back enough to whisper “Told you he’d be pissed”  
John turned and stepped toward them his features lighting up in the fitful glow of the fire proving it was indeed him “Those are army issue stark tablets son, might be worth a fucking fortune someday. A bit of bloody respect for god’s sake”  
Dean was too shocked to respond.  
John looked at them both and smiled wider than either of them had ever seen him smile before “Come ‘ere and give your old man a hug then” He said beckoning them with wet arms held wide to receive them.  
In retrospect they should have done a few tests first, asked some questions. Perhaps jumped to some hasty paranoid conclusions but hind sight is a bitch. As it was they became just another missing person’s case. A hard blow to the hunting community who loved them, but they had gone down doing what they did best ridding the world of monsters and the beast that they had been hunting had never struck again, so life went on.


	2. Chapter 2

Life went on.  
Just a little differently.  
The events of that strange night were hazy. John had held them in a tight embrace, a tight embrace that felt like it should have broken ribs. There had been a struggle that neither boy had been mentally or physically prepared for...... and then it was morning and the storm had abated.  
The small shepherds hut was in ruins and, Dean noted, they were too. 

They were lying just outside surrounded by blood and gore.  
“Are we dead?” Sam asked taking in all his wounds as he slowly sat up.  
“Don’t be such a bloody drama queen” John said from somewhere behind them “Now come on! My roof needs fixing and I can’t trust the pair of you to look after yourselves”  
Dean peeled himself up off of the floor, slowly at first as he was expecting pain, a lot of pain. But when none came he resumed normal speed, dusted what was left of his shredded cloths and stood up. “But” He started but no sound came, numb fingers found that his throat too had been ripped apart, his breaths wheezing in and out of his lungs directly through his exposed oesophagus. It was too surreal to really deal with so he focused on the wreckage of his favourite flannel until he could no longer ignore the fact that his brother was poking his own guts back in like it was no big deal what so ever. He started freaking out gasping and shaking.  
John sighed and turned back impatient “Look forget about pain and blood and cold” he said pulling Deans wrecked and body upright and putting him firmly on his feet “They don’t matter, they can’t affect us now. Hell nothing matters anymore okay! From now on its just family, it’s just us”  
“You’re not our Dad are you?” Sam said rather gravely looking up from where he was still poking at his fatal, yet somehow healing abdominal wounds.  
John cleared his throat rather awkwardly “I had an epiphany. Like an awakening, of sorts... While I was away, I met Kate and suddenly everything made sense” he said getting all starry eyed  
“You’re a monster” Sam said though he struggled with the graveness of this accusation.  
“Yes” John replied enthusiastically seeing that his boys were actually getting it “A... and it’s great, but lonely, that’s why I had to lure you out here and get you back”  
“You’re the monster?” Sam repeated shocked as realisation started to dawn on him for what that actually meant for himself and Dean “We’re werewolves, aren’t we? You, you turned us”  
That awful word settled heavily on Dean’s stomach. They were hunters not... If he killed John now wouldn’t he be saving both Sammy and himself or was it already too late? He felt for his silver knife but it was gone.  
“You’ll understand better when we get home” John said taking command over the situation as his boys started to think things through like the hunters he’d taught them to be. They would now need to think as a pack, to learn a new sort of order and be better than they had ever been at anything before if they were to survive. “Now as your alpha, I order you to come”  
~~~

Years later and they were all still together.  
John had married Kate, not that he’d had a choice, or her for that matter. She knew that they were destined or true mates as soon as she had picked up his scent.  
(Flash back) She had been on her way back to her packs ancestral lands; John had just hunted down and was about to wipe out what remained of her pack on those ancestral lands when she got there, so yeah, it was a typical love at first sight boy meets girl kind of story.  
They fought. She bit. He turned, went feral for a while till she reined him in. They begat Adam and started claiming and renovating the old run down properties on Kate’s land as well, with a kid you really needed a roof over your head, got to be responsible.  
As soon as John accepted that this was it, the real deal, he had wanted Sam and Dean there with him. It took years to lure them over as he couldn’t just leave his mate and kid to go searching for them and being off the grid like they were he knew he would have to set an elaborate trap to bait them.  
Unfortunately a few other hunters had come sniffing and John had had to off them to protect his pack which was unfortunate what with him being a former hunter and all but what can you do? It had added to the ‘mystery beast’ story which finally made the national papers when human bodies turned up alongside those of deer and lambs; and then finally the right hunters came.  
With their family complete John and Kate celebrated with a great big wedding. Kate wore her mother’s old gown, her pack relatives howled with joy as she made her vows and promised to be a good and faithful queen bitch to them all. John had worn his traditional hunter’s plaid as had his three sons. He promised to be a good leader and to make the pack strong again, that had the effect of making the original werewolves howl wildly with excitement as they couldn’t remember a time when their species weren’t on the decline scratching a living under the hunters radar.  
It had been a bold promise and one that John had struggled to keep so eventually he turned to Dean, his second in command, then quickly to Sam, the brains of the pack, to make good on his pledge.  
Thus Sam and Dean had found themselves using their hunter knowledge to outwit their enemies and their monster law to improve their game as they fought to keep their pack alive and fed. It became fun in a weird sort of way. They learnt to embrace their inner wolf and quickly learned to change at will, and not just into your typical werewolf type monster which was more of a ‘wolf man’ shape but into actual wolves. Suddenly food was never a problem but hunters, regular hunters that is, were and soon turned up in their hundreds when they heard there was big game to be had in the area. Sam and Dean had learnt to keep a low profile after that and started to compile a list of rules that would keep them all out of any future hunters sights.  
First off they were never to hunt humans. It really shouldn’t have needed saying and getting everyone to agree to it was harder than either Sam or Dean could have ever imagined. Kate’s pack were traditionalists strongly believing it to be their god given right to hunt people who had pissed them off. It was natures own karma they argued as Sam pointed a tranq gun and Dean threatened the use of heavy duty chains till everyone complied. They could never draw attention from the law and most importantly they could never trust anyone who wasn’t pack. Other rules came and went as they established a kind of hierarchy amongst themselves and settled into a comfortable way of life. This self control didn’t however solve paying the bills.  
~~~

“Well” said Sam as he thought aloud to himself and of course Dean who was currently occupied bouncing a ball off of the wall rather annoyingly so mostly to himself “Let’s look at what we need and what exactly we’ve got to work with. There’s gas, electric, the cars, education, uh Adam’s education”  
Dean snorted at the mention of Adam, the first real werewolf to be born in over thirty years and his natural born challenger to one day lead this pack. The little shit was only just turned five and already he had displayed dominance by peeing on Dean’s leg. ‘A nervous accident’ Kate had claimed but Dean hadn’t missed the evil smirk that kid was wearing when he whispered half blood right before doing it. Dean hoped he’d grow up to be a beta, it’d serve his punk ass right “How ‘bout boarding school?”  
Sam considered, “If we can cover the cost then yeah. He’s got to start learning to pass as a human full time and focusing on getting a career might help turn him into a well adjusted person rather than the spoilt monster Kate’s teaching him to be”  
“Make it so” Dean smiled “and make sure he goes far, really far away”  
“Hell yeah, education gets cheaper in Canada” Sam smiled “So how are we going to raise any money without resorting to fraud?” He sighed tapping local businesses into his laptop to see what everyone else in this small one bar town did for cash. “We have a ton of land which is mostly bed rock” he said skimming passed links to arable farming “and we have the various properties which, maybe, we could rent out?”  
“The pack would have to improve their self control massively” Dean warned, “and who’d want to rent them anyway? We’re in the middle of bloody bumfuck”  
“Well” Sam said looking at local short stay breaks in the area “tourists who’re into nature”  
“Dad’s already kinda put an end to hiking round here” Dean said sceptically  
“That was years ago no one’s going to remember. Think about it all this untouched scenery is like a natural draw to those eager to lose their money real quick”  
“I don’t know Sam”  
“Then look at the prices people in town are charging” Sam swung the laptop round to show his brother an advert to stay at the Roadhouse bar and hotel.  
“Is that per week?”  
“That’s per night with meals”  
“Man Ellen’s makes a killing”  
“And so could we and with minimal effort!” Sam smiled eyes lighting up “Letting out what properties we already have as self catering for the key holiday season while we lie low for a while could net us enough to live really well get rid of Adam and maybe even indulge ourselves a bit”  
“Yeah? Like what?”  
“Well we didn’t always want to be weres or hunters. Maybe we could expand our horizons”  
Dean could see Sam was fast warming to the idea, it was no secret with all the books he’d amassed that he still dreamt of becoming a lawyer “We’d have to lie real low, like over the far side of the mountain kind of low” Dean said thoughtfully “Especially if any of those tourists smell like pickle chips or bacon. Plus we spent forever refurbishing those old wrecks for Dad and Kate to live their dream in, they’re really going to be bumed moving out already”  
“They still need to pay the bills” Sam said “and it’s not like we don’t need a few months to go check the back of the territory and beat the boundaries so to speak”  
“Well yeah, we have been pretty lax about guarding the territory lines, but shit I hate those hills and god damn mud huts, there’s no beer or pie or shit out there” Dean groused  
“And that’s why you as second in command should stay right here” Sam said smiling, “Overseeing things, collecting rent and whatever”  
“Well, yeah that would get me out of it but what about you that’s more your kind of thing isn’t it?”  
“Uh, I was thinking about staying in town a while actually, I may have met a girl”  
“What a real girl?”  
“Yeah and I’d like to get to know her better before introducing her to dad as he and Kate, well”  
“Will be bite now find out what she’s like later”  
“Yeah” Sam sighed “Can’t say I really buy into all that true mate bull”  
“Me neither” Dean agreed “Okay so it’s a plan”  
“Well let’s advertise first see what interest we get”  
~~~  
So they did.  
Sam advertised the main house and the smaller lodges as fantastic holiday retreats , set on a larger than average private plots and surrounded by unspoilt forest where one could immerse ones self in the beauty of nature. Almost instantly he got a string of interested parties enquiring about the main house.  
“So get this” He said to Dean who was deep in the fridge “We’ve got a lot of interested hunting parties”  
“Hell no”  
“Student parties”  
“Hell yeah”  
“A few satanic occultists... likely needing the space to stash used sacrifices”  
“Uh no, well if we up the charge then maybe”  
“Some famous types who like the remoteness but require ridicules amounts spent modernising the place”  
“Nope”  
“Naturalists”  
“Hell yeah”  
“Retired naturalists actually”  
“Idk, hell no then”  
“And a guru of, mindfulness?”  
“What the ever living fuck is mindfulness?” Dean said pulling out of the fridge to look.  
“Uh, it’s like derived from Buddhist stuff, meditation and emotions and uh, stuff...” Sam closed in on the possible customer’s application “He wants to rent the entire main house and surrounding grounds for the full three months to host an already approved list of discerning clients”  
Dean read the application over Sam’s shoulder “yoga meditation boring boring boring treehugging, yoghurt shagging” he droned  
“Look we need the money and this guy seems legit, he even comes with references”  
“So why doesn’t he just go to those places again?”  
“Never hosts in the same place twice”  
“Because...”  
“Uh, something about chakras, or energy flow or something”  
“Doubting it. Get the students”  
“They just want weekends” Sam said insistent “that’s a lot of vetting which I know you’re not going to help with and then there’s the lost revenue for the day’s in between, not to mention the mess! He’s just one guy, anything bad happens we can off him and say the events cancelled who’d suspect? Then we could call the students and collect more cash”  
“Heh, true” Dean laughed  
“I’m calling him” Sam said decided  
Dean huffed an unenthusiastic snort “Whatever so long as he brings muesli your going to be singing his damn praises, just marry him now and get it over with, I’ll tell Dad”  
~~~  
“Why can’t you just rent the damn lodges?” John barked “That house is my house”  
“That’s what I told Sam” Dean said “But this guy is willing to pay bucket loads and has muesli. What can I say? Sam’s in love with the idea and we haven’t patrolled the mountains for at least two years now anything could have moved in uninvited up there, and we do need the cash”  
“Shit” John cussed defeated “Yeah okay I guess, but why not the smaller properties? Why the hell does it have to be my fucking god damn house?”  
“Well people want space. You can already rent a room or lodge in town, but a whole house, on private land, that’s what’s attracting attention”  
“Okay, whatever” John growled  
~~~  
So Sam arranged for an interview/viewing the next week with the mindfulness guy.  
Everyone had already packed their belongings and stored them in one of the larger of the old lodges on the land.  
The main house was clean and empty save for furniture. It looked idyllic.  
Sam was running his finger over a doorframe and finding enough dust to choke a donkey when he spotted a hideously ugly tan station wagon approaching along the lonely road that up to the house. He wiped his hand on the back of his pants and stepped out onto the porch ready to greet the guy.  
A hemp clad, messy haired hippy stepped out of the car and stopped to fully take in the property before finally noticing Sam standing there patiently with his hand upheld. “Uh sorry, I’m uh, I’m... Steve” He said  
“Hi, I’m Sam” Sam said noting that the guy had had to think before giving his name.  
“It’s a very impressive property, is it yours?”  
“My parent’s actually, they’ve just left me in charge”  
“Okay. Can we look around while we exchange questions and such? I find it makes for a better atmosphere when getting to know someone, I’m sure you have many queries about what it is I actually do”  
“The term mindfulness is a bit broad” Sam admitted  
Steve didn’t seem at all bothered that Sam might be sceptical instead he marched through to begin inspecting the property “Indeed, is this the main room?”  
“Yes, one of two, the second mirrors it that side of the hall”  
“Perfect. So many people go for open plan these days, I didn’t see any neighbours on the way up are there any?”  
“The closest residence is a lodge I’ll be staying in on the property. It’s about three kilometres away just past the stream over there”  
Steve nodded continuing his investigation of the house “privacy is paramount in what I do. Can I be sure you won’t be tempted to interrupt or intrude on my classes uninvited for any reason?”  
Sam was both intrigued and a little baffled “Um, Is there any reason why I might feel the need to do something like that?”  
“Well I find that the noise we generate can be a little, discerning and has been known to travel”  
“Noise? like...”  
“Chanting” Steve said looking at Sam studiously “it can be quite powerful, a room full of people joined in meditative mantra. It has been reported to have some strange effects on, eavesdroppers say”  
“Okay” Sam said unsure if he’d heard any accusation in Steve’s tone or not, Christ he was meant to be the one dubiously judging not being judged suspiciously himself “Well unless it sounds like your blowing the place up I’ll be sure not to over react to anything else that I hear. Just so long as no one gets hurt and the property’s still standing whatever”  
Steve turned away from his house inspection to regard Sam again “This house has a very good energy about it” He stated quite seriously  
His stare gave Sam a weird feeling “Thank you, we basically built it, my family that is”  
“Tell me about them. Are they all like you?”  
Sam paused unsure how to really explain them, this was one of those conversations he realised that he really needed to rehearse “Erm no, not really”  
Castiel looked him up and down as he had done the house. “Have you ever tried medative chanting? You would be most welcome to join us one night”  
“Um maybe” Sam said feeling almost shy suddenly and damn if he wasn’t beginning to blush under the scrutiny, he wasn’t a blusher!  
Steve smiled like he could feel his discomfort and found it funny “is this the kitchen?”  
“Yes” Sam said in a sharply exhaled huff as Steve finally blinked and turned his hypnotic blue gaze away. Sam followed him into the farm house style kitchen with its impressive twin patio doors overlooking the forest.  
“Is that a wolf?” Steve gasped horrified  
“What? Where?”  
“There! Look its standing in plain view. That’s dangerous. Isn’t it?”  
“Uh that” Sam saw John in his wolf form no doubt here to mark his territory against this intruder despite the fact that he’d agreed to Sam’s great idea to generate some revenue. “That’s actually our dog”  
“Really?” Steve said taken a back “it’s huge! And looks... like a wolf”  
“Well that’s the thing, it’s a, it’s a hybrid type thing. They’re bigger than an actual wolf”  
“I’ve never seen anything quite like that in my life”  
“Oh? We specialise in them actually for, um, hunting” Sam noted Steve’s look of horror and remembered that hippies probably didn’t go in for that kind of thing “Hunting problem bison that is, ones that go off the rails, so to speak, like they do”  
Steve squinted at that for the longest possible time but Sam was reaching the very limits of his patience by now with that uncomfortable stare and stared right back defiantly. Sure he was lying and lying badly, but this little shit had told him nothing about himself and was really giving out a creepy vibe.  
“So it’s in no way going to be dangerous?” Steve asked finally  
“Nope” Sam said curtly walking over and throwing the French doors wide open “I’ll call him over and show you. Hey John come here”  
The big dark wolf glowered at them before making a great display of pissing where he stood before raking the turf with big exaggerated sweeps of his massive paws.  
“You know that really won’t be necessary!” Steve said backing away back into the hall  
“Relax, he’s like a big old puppy!” Sam said enjoying making the other man feel uncomfortable way too much.  
Steve looked at the size of the clods of dirt the animal was throwing up with such ease and actually sighed with relief when it totally ignored Sam’s commands and casually jogged off to disappear into the tree line  
“I don’t think your dog is going to like me”  
“He’s just shy”  
“I would prefer he wasn’t free roaming”  
The thought of money and getting it on with his new girl got Sam’s head back on track, this guy was weird but then so was Sam’s whole pack/family. “He’ll be away with my step mom on a long overdue walking holiday” Sam answered, back in his serious mindset despite the fact that he’d probably lost this customer. At least now he’d be better prepared for future clients... and John apparently “Shall I show you the rest of the house?” Sam offered very diplomatically.  
Steve gave Sam the most soul searching squint yet “Okay” He said surprising them both.  
~~~

 

Sam returned later to the lodge where everyone had stashed their belongings and were currently arguing over TV channels. He had with him a huge cash deposit and a wild excited smile.  
“Well that was a lot easier than our old day’s hustling” Dean said looking at the money Sam was laying out dramatically on some boxes which had become a make shift coffee table “So when’s he starting?”  
“As soon as possible. I actually said Monday would be fine”  
John’s glower somehow impossibly grew darker “I don’t like him” He growled “Smell’s funny”  
To his right and mirroring his aggressive expression was young Adam, all two and a half feet of him “Why do we even need so much money? Can’t we just kill a few people and steal their cash or something?”  
“Those days are gone” John huffed “We need to be making a legitimate living now to keep the authorities and hunters away”  
“Sam’s idea is good” Kate said soothingly to them both “And we will all try to make it work”  
“Thanks” Sam said “So I’ll be needing all you guy’s to start that patrol as soon as possible”  
“Okay” Kate said jumping up, “I’ve actually been looking forward to this! It used to be routine when I was a little wolf, come on John, Adam let’s get your aunts and uncles and get going!”  
John let her go to gather the wolf pack. “I’m trusting you with this” he growled at Sam and Dean “This is our home. Our pack has nowhere else to go. This guy tries anything, you hear? Anything strange, then promise me you’ll call, or fix it”  
“We’ll howl” Dean promised matching John’s seriousness “Relax, it’s just a few lettuce chewing humans. We can handle it”  
“There’s something more though, I can feel it” John growled  
“Dad you say that about everyone” Sam whined “Just try and enjoy your hike, we’ve got this”  
John growled some more, paced a little to emphasize how unhappy he was again, then finally left.  
“Finally” Sam grinned  
“Totally” Dean agreed “We got a whole summer of freedom, let’s go lose some of that cash down the Roadhouse, pull some girls, live it up some”  
Sam’s smile dropped. How did he think looking after his immature big brother was going to be easy?


	3. Chapter 3

Steve returned, car full of herbal tea organic food and piles of washed out hemp clothes and tie dyed rags which he draped around the place. Wind chimes, plastic buddas and potted herbs lined the open porch of the old colonial house and a general air of ‘hippyness’ settled over the place.   
Sam entered the house which was now so not his own.   
Steve stepped out of the kitchen “Hello Sam”  
“Hi” Sam said sheepishly like He had just invaded “Just wondered how you were doing?”  
“Fine, but I wouldn’t say no to a hand setting up, if you’re free that is?”   
Sam actually was and they talked about a lot of stuff like the best places locally to shop organic, Sam’s weird library collection, the reasoning behind the stun gun and heavy duty chains under the kitchen sink... and somewhere along the way Sam agreed to bring his new girlfriend over for some sort of complimentary holistic thing the next day, which Dean laughed himself silly over, all night long.   
~~~  
And so there Sam sat on the floor cross legged with Ruby staring daggers at him while Steve chanted nonsense about dragonfly appendages which had Ruby scrambling for excuses and running back to town for her shift in whatever the hell it was that she did.  
“Sorry about that” Sam said when she’d gone “That was really good, we both appreciate...”   
“Sam it was nonsense all of it” Steve said abruptly  
Sam looked scandalised he’d actually felt a spiritual homecoming of sorts surrounded by all the tea bags and wind chimes.  
“For something like this to work” Steve explained “everyone has to be willing, or at least partially. Now I don’t know how to say this... have you known Ruby long?”  
“We’ve been dating three weeks now”  
“Let me tell you then she’s a bitch”  
~~~

“He said what?” Dean laughed later that day at the Roadhouse “That’s what I told you! Would you listen!”  
“Shut up! She’s complicated” Sam said “Well he called me complicated actually and that anything founded on as much secrecy as our relationship was damned anyway with or without her being the megalomaniac that she is”  
“That’s a bit harsh I know but shouldn’t you at least consider the warning” Jo asked sincerely, she hadn’t meant to overhear but well she’d been obviously serving the boy’s their beer and burgers when Sam had said it and everyone in town hated Ruby, everyone except Sam who saw a real diamond in the rough with that girl.   
Dean smiled high five-ing Jo as she waltzed away to deal with a new customer  
“Listen to the guy” Ellen squawked from somewhere behind the bar  
“What?” Sam said in mock disbelief looking around for Ellen and failing to find her “The guys a fraud! I came here for some support in laughing him off and I get this!” He said grieved “Well screw Steve and screw you guys I’m going to sulk somewhere else”  
“Probably in Ruby’s pant’s” Dean muttered   
“Should we apologise?” Ellen asked poking her head out from the back room after Sam’s dramatic exit.  
“Na, he’ll appreciate our honesty when he eventually sees the light” Dean scoffed pulling Sam’s abandoned burger a little closer for inspection and shaking the salad free. Suddenly Benny whisked into the newly abandoned seat opposite   
“So Dean” He said casually despite the fact that like always he was cutting straight to the chase “word is there’s a new guy in town renting up the whole of your place”   
Dean slowly looked up, Benny’s sudden dramatic appearances no longer made him jump but it still mystified him how the guy could just appear in any given space like that. He was a big guy, and Dean’s ears had been known to be wolf sharp even as a human. Sure he’d had a few beers but still.   
“Yeah, we decided to rent the house this summer make some money to cover the bills and such”  
“So who is he?” Benny asked lifting his darker than dark shades to give Dean a rare view of his unmasked face “Where’s he from and what is he doing exactly”   
Dean could read Benny’s genuine interest just in his eyes, he also realised that if he were ever to see Benny without his hat, shades and coat he probably wouldn’t recognize the guy without scenting him first. Questions about his pack or territory always made Dean feel somewhat suspicious, even of Benny his best friend. Why he was his best friend Dean couldn’t exactly say for sure, Benny had just latched onto him ever since he’d started visiting the Roadhouse and played an excellent game of pool. Dean chewed thoughtfully on his burger before answering “Sam’s in charge of all that, I’ve not really met the guy”  
“Oh” and Benny really did seem disappointed “Well if you find out you will tell me wont you”  
“Yeah sure man but Sam’s who you should be asking”  
“You know we don’t see eye to eye” Benny grinned slipping his shades back on  
“Only because you never talk to him”  
“Trust me we wouldn’t mix, tell me when you find out okay, and remember BBQ this Sunday at mine”  
“It’s an annual event how could I forget?”  
“Good. I’ll see you soon” And Benny stalked off out the door which chimed with his leaving. Dean tried not to think about how he’d not heard the bell when he’d entered.  
~~~

Just a few days later and Steve was already busy with clients, the house and woodland trails effectively out of bounds. The pack was long gone out over the far reaches of their territory and Sam was away with Ruby over her place.  
Dean was alone and bored. He had the whole lodge to himself but it was crammed full of everyone’s belongings and uncomfortable. There was nothing on the TV so he pulled on some sweats and decided to jog the trails a little. It was a bad idea. It was a beautiful day and Steve’s clients were all out communing with nature, this meant drifting in a semi dazed deliriously happy state stumbling into each other, trees and Dean whenever possible.  
Dean gave up trying to jog and just walked back toward his lodge, he’d try again later when there were less people to agitate him. Agitate was the word, he felt invaded and the overall sense of wrongness became worse as he approached nearer the house. Foreign odours, strange ornaments and bloody incense tweaked his irritation.  
Then he heard it. A shriek from inside followed by a low moaning. His ears pricked, there were whimpers and someone was gasping for breath, he bolted up the porch steps and burst through the god damned bead curtain into the hall, the gasped breaths were coming from the study and Dean rushed over and forced his way in, what he found there brought him up short pretty quick. Three women lay there completely naked and whimpering on Kate’s favourite shag pile. They didn’t react at all to Dean’s appearance, they seemed to be dreaming or something but he only got to see any of this for a few seconds before a fourth person, a guy, did react to his intrusion and Dean was being pushed forcefully back out into the hall.  
“What the hell?” Dean barked confused  
“Who are you?” The guy shouted back at him and he was virtually bristling with anger   
“Dean”  
“I was told there wouldn't be any intrusions!” The guy snapped over him   
“I was just passing by when I heard...” Dean tried to explain but he could hear the women inside waking up and asking each other where Steve was and why had he just left them like that, they were very confused and not at all in the distress Dean had assumed them to be in.  
“Sorry” the guy, Steve, called back to them “I’ll be right back. You” He said snapping back to Dean “really shouldn’t be poking your nose in where it’s clearly not wanted” and as he said it Dean felt his vision blurring more and more until the very air in the hall way around them became oppressively hot, so hot it shimmered and distorted with the intensity. Flames began licking their way free from where they secretly burned within the walls engulfing the hall completely in red hot flames.  
“We’ve got to get them out” Dean said his voice breaking with fear for what was happening.  
“No” Steve said his voice strong and authoritive “You did this now you have to RUN”  
So Dean ran out of there faster than he’d ever run before and he hid in the woods and imagined he was back in the house fire that had killed his mother and very nearly his whole family all those years ago  
~~~

Sam got a call from Steve complaining about the intrusion “I’m in town right now” He explained down the phone “but Dean was guarding the property from, oh it was Dean. Well then I’m going to have to have words with him, I’m so sorry, let me sort this out” Sam switched to wolf form and rushed home. Picking up Dean’s scent tainted starkly with anxiety he followed it back to the lodge to find his brother a shaky mess looking through the old photo albums; looking at Mary. This was never good.   
Sam quickly changed back to try comfort his brother. “Dean, What happened?”  
“I must have dreamt it” Dean muttered “but I was back there. Back in the house when, you know”   
Sam ducked down into the tiny space between boxes to sit with his brother “It’s been a long time since you last had a flashback”  
“Never that strong” Dean said quietly  
Sam took a breath “Steve was on the phone complaining that you interrupted one of his sessions”  
“Someone was screaming inside Sam, it didn’t sound right so yeah I went in to check everyone was okay”  
“He did say it could sound strange” Sam said relieved Dean was getting his colour back   
“It was strange!” Dean said looking scared but determined now as he explained, “what they were doing in there it was really bloody strange Sam and then this thing, this like flash back happened and I had to get out”  
Sam sat up, his brow furrowing in thought when there was sharp knock at the door. Sam shook whatever he was thinking away, pulled himself up patted Dean on the shoulder and padded over to answer it. “Steve” He said in fair warning for Dean to get himself together.  
“Sam?” Steve said surprised “I thought you said you were in town?”  
“I was. I rushed back when I heard”  
“But I didn’t see your car?”  
“I ran” Sam said quickly “I like to run”  
“That’s a hell of a long run”   
“Short cut through the woods”  
“And your shoes?”  
Sam wriggled his toes suddenly aware of his bare feet, luckily he’d pulled on some old slacks when he’d entered through the back but damn it was easy to forget these kinds of things. “By the back door. Terrible smell” he explained.  
“Oh” Steve said clearly still sceptical.  
“Dean apologises for the interruption” Sam said to change the subject “he thought someone was in trouble, he knows now that you have my number and that any emergency can be dealt with far more appropriately in future”  
Dean shuffled forward unhappy about all of this “I’m sorry” He said looking at Steve who was horribly tall like Sam and horribly board and dark like his father. A strange feeling, a sort of twinge of pain crept over him as the memory of flames rippling up the walls hit him again. But it didn’t happen here, it didn’t happen back at the house either, that terrible fire had happened miles away and hadn’t affected him for years so why was it hitting him so hard now? The illusion seemed to break around him. Dean blinked and looked around more carefully, the walls were fine and Steve, Steve was a scrawny little shit who shouldn’t have been able to push him out of the house like he did. Dean felt his hackles rise.  
Steve paled as he watched Dean flounder then regain himself behind Sam “Well so long as it doesn’t happen again” Steve said backing up “I’d better get back to work” he said walking away  
Sam rounded on Dean “Calm down I can practically feel your hackles hitting the roof!”  
“I don’t like him”  
“You do know you sound just like dad don’t you”  
“There’s something going on here Sammy”  
“And it’s really none of our business, look he’s paid in full up front we are in the clear with all our bills and we have a really good deposit for a top boarding school the other side of the country. You just need to stay focussed”  
“Yeah, yeah you’re right Sammy I get that, but if he’s murdering people”  
“That’s a really wild assumption to jump to Dean”  
“Okay then, running a drug camp”  
Sam huffed exasperated “I’ll look him some more okay?”  
Dean could tell Sam was humouring him, he did sound paranoid “Yeah sure what ever” he said waving his brother off “Sorry I interrupted your date time”  
Now Sam felt bad, the times Dean had had to call off dates to pick him up from school, make dinner, the list went on. It wasn’t often Dean needed help in comparison “Hey now that I'm here why don’t we go take a run?”  
“Yeah Okay” Dean said pleased for the company.  
~~~

Sam had left later that night leaving Dean alone again.  
There was something most definitely up with those tree huggers but Sam was right the money mattered more and they’d all be gone soon enough anyway.   
No, what bothered Dean now was the loneliness.   
~~~

A few nights passed of just him his movies and his busty Asian beauties collection and he had already caught himself howling on one of his nightly runs. He had hoped to connect to his pack but of course they were way too far over the hills by now, he was being stupid. Still he listened; of course no reply came. He contemplated going up into the hills to call again but that would be over a day’s journey and besides he needed more than just a voice on the wind. He needed more, so he headed out down to the roadhouse where he played pool with Benny and got buzzed on beer.   
He may have gotten a little more than buzzed because when he spotted Ruby sitting in her usual darkened booth he waved enthusiastically and sauntered over to wind both her and Sam up. He was shocked to find the head of long dark hair sitting with Ruby today was actually Meg and not Sam at all. “Fuck” He muttered a bit too loud thanks to his amazing buzz.  
“Hey Dean’o” Meg purred smiling ever wider as Dean’s face dropped to a sour pout “So what’s the scoop on this Steve guy?”  
“He’s just some hippy” Dean sniped still sore that the guy had pushed all his buttons so easily.  
“He’s a bit more than that” Ruby said darkly “What is it he’s actually doing up there?”  
“Tree hugging kumbaya shit I don’t know”  
The girls exchanged a pointed look “We think there’s a bit more to it than that. Can we go see?”  
“Look he was clear that no one’s to disturb him”   
“Whipped” Meg smirked “You don’t actually know what he’s doing and you’re afraid to find out”  
“Go see what he does for us” Ruby said in a voice that Dean thought would have had Sam running laps for her, it just irritated him.  
“Look you already gave it a try and you fled”   
“I know, but” Ruby leaned in closer and Dean wasn’t sure if she wanted to divulge something secret or make better use of the low dip of her neckline to get her way “He did something to me, it’s like he has some sort of weird power”   
Dean’s eyes flicked back up to her face, so Ruby had felt it too.   
“What was it like?” Benny asked, he’d quietly deserted the pool table to join them and was hovering over Dean’s shoulder waiting for more  
Dean rolled his eyes “I can’t believe your actually taking this seriously” He joked but he felt the dread pooling in his stomach, if the next words out of her mouth were ‘red hot and flames’ he would no doubt be losing his shit all over again.  
“Well” Ruby said looking thoughtful “It felt a bit tingaly”   
“Tingaly?” Benny and Dean said together, Benny was laughing but Dean’s voice was full of relief  
“Well you must have felt something like that” Ruby snapped angry at being mocked “you’re like up there all day”  
“Do you get to see anything strange?” Benny asked turning to Dean quite seriously  
“No!” Dean scoffed “It’s Just a load of hippies looking hippyish” Everyone looked disappointed, sure nothing much happened in this small one bar town but it was the height of summer and there had to have been something more interesting for everyone to grasp onto than this. Only there really wasn’t.   
“Okay I’ll snoop about a bit” Dean sighed  
“Good boy” Meg grinned  
“Be sure to tell us everything wont you” Benny added   
“Yeah whatever” Dean said stepping back to the bar to save his pleasant buzz from being killed by his dubious collection of so called friends.  
~~~

When Dean got home later that night his pleasant buzz plus Ruby’s confession had all but confirmed that he defiantly needed to keep an eye on whatever it was that was happening in that hippy camp.  
He wasn’t going to do this human again though that was for sure, not until he figured out what had happened last time. He turned into his wolf form and made his way over to the house.   
The door was open and Steve’s deep voice was resonating from the direction of the main reception room. Dean quietly proceeded to nudge the door a little further open to see what was happening inside. Ten strangers in loose sweats were presenting their arses before him, a sight that had him frozen in his tracks. They were all nice arses, these were all very fit hippys. He paused to fully appreciate the view a little while the class continued.  
“And from down dog we roll ourselves forward into... oh shit that is defiantly not a bloody dog” Steve gasped losing both his balance and composure, the rest of the class looked around and Dean smelt the nauseating wave of panic rolling off of them. He backed out jumped the porch and ran a safe distance across the lawn before looking back.  
Steve was staring out at him while explaining to his clients that it was alright, it was just a dog, it was just the initial shock that had made it seem, bigger, much much bigger than what a normal dog should be and yes it looked distinctively wolfish but that was actually it’s breed type, whatever that was, Sam hadn’t mentioned what exactly he had been breeding but rest assured it was safe, probably. The door to the house was promptly slammed shut as the group retreated back to safety.   
Dean heard the dead bolt slide into place behind them, he loped off disappointed.  
~~~

The next day Steve marched over to the lodge and was bagging on the door again to complain.  
Dean, not being a coward, pulled on a clean tee and eventually answered.  
“Dean”  
“Steve” Dean said folding his arms and bringing himself up to full height to look down an inch and maybe a few mil’ more at the other man.  
“Uh," Steve hesitated, Dean's posturing not being lost on him "One of your dogs was in the house yesterday”  
“Uh huh” Dean said pouring as much boredom into the noise as he could.   
“It was a big dog" Steve added. "And scared it my clients”  
Dean scratched his chin thoughtfully “Look buddy, It lives here, is totally house trained and keeps the raccoons and such away”  
“Raccoons? You have those?”  
“Well duh. Along with possums rats and bears to name but a few wild nasties out here that are attracted to the smell of food and whatever incense crap you’re burning over there” Dean couldn’t help but notice how twitchy Steve was, like he could sense he was in the presents of a predator only just now realising how vulnerable he was.   
“Sandalwood actually” Steve said sheepishly but he was doing something. He looked like he was getting brighter or maybe bigger somehow his edges were now less defined.   
Dean looked away pretending not to notice after all what was that?   
An awkward moment passed with Steve trying to stare down a man who was staring off into the distance with some incredible intent.  
Finally Steve caved “I, um well I didn’t know that” He said deflating  
Dean felt a tension in the air dissipate, that ‘tingaly’ feeling fading. Steve still had his hands balled firmly into fists where they hung by his sides but  
Dean felt somewhat assured that that was all the magical punch the guy had. He felt childishly pleased with himself for trumping the bastard without using his monster card “Look your complaint is duly noted but the dog won’t hurt you so just leave it alone” He said turning back to the comfort of his lodge and TV.  
“Um okay” Steve said mostly to himself as he found himself alone and for the first time disturbed at his lack of influence over someone. He headed back deeply confused.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> encase it's not clear steve is just one of many names i'll be using for Cas...  
> Still own nothing...

And so a game of rivalry and distrust began.  
For the next few days Dean made a point of stalking passed the house in his wolf from watching and listening for anything peculiar.  
Steve would practically always be there on guard tracking his every movement with a suspicious squint till he was long out of sight. The doors to the house were always shut now. Not that that could stop Dean entering, he could break down a door anytime, or use a key plus he could hear everything that was going on inside anyway.  
The problem now was that intimidating the hippies was Dean’s only amusement. Which actually sucked as some of them were insanely hot. Stubbornly Dean stalked on.  
~~~

 

“So have you discovered anything?” Benny asked not so subtlety when the date of his BBQ finally came round.  
It seemed to Dean that the whole town had turned out, not hat that was a great deal of people but still Dean had to wonder how it was that Benny had such great rapport with literally all of them.  
“Nothing really” Dean slowly replied knowing exactly what Benny had been referring too.  
“So were John and Kate busy? I was hoping they’d come this year”  
“Yeah their off doing some romantic getaway thing, it’s actually not that romantic they’ve got Adam with them”  
“Wish I had a kid brother”  
“Well I got two and I can tell ya they’re not all that”  
“Listen Dean if it ever gets too crowded up there we’ve got plenty of space down here”  
Benny’s house was down in the valley, a big old brick mansion which always looked extra dark inside. The dark forest that hid the main road and the perpetual shadow cast by the surrounding hills made it darker still. “Andrea would love if you stayed over, you’re like family. You know we’ve actually got a whole apartment over the garage unused”  
“Thanks Benny but I’m fine where I am right now”  
“Okay brother” Dean could hear the lonely echo in his words  
“Never thought about a family?” Dean asked curious, it wasn’t the first time Benny had tried to entice him over; in fact he did it most times they met.  
“Long time ago, weren’t meant to be” Benny said distantly then waved the question off “Don’t think that was really what either of us wanted anyway, family was just something everyone did, career and good friends are way more interesting. Another burger?”  
“Yeah” Dean said feeling a little bad for his friend “I’d better before the sheriff and her deputy there scarf ‘em all”  
“Dean!” Jody mock scolded “I never get to see enough of this town’s model citizens! How are you kid?”  
Dean smiled at the casual familiarity he always got from Sheriff Mill’s. Sometimes he wished more of the town were pack, or maybe that his pack was less hostile. These seemed like good people and this today was nice, just casually milling around enjoying different company and beer like the whole being a monster thing didn’t exist. It did though, and he knew it. Still today it wasn’t going to stop him from checking out any new faces in hope of a casual fling, or maybe two.  
“So what’s all this I hear about strange city folk renting at your place?” Jody asked later on when Dean had enjoyed a few beers and his time out a little too much and was now indulging in pastries with Donna.  
Dean bit back his irritation at the reminder “Just a bunch of city folk holidaying” He said a little too sharply through a mouthful of cinnamon roll spilling flakes down himself.  
“But isn’t one of them that guy from somewhere? You know on the internet with all the faith healing? He was in the shop the other day, looked just like him” Donna, Jody’s chief deputy and towns top pastry appreciator asked said looking pointedly at Dean.  
“Emmanuelle you mean?” Jody said her interest rising  
“Yeah that’s the one” Donna said excitedly “Have you seen those clips!”  
“You don’t actually believe in any of that stuff?” Brice, another officer, well he would be round the desert table, asked  
“Well” Donna said thoughtfully “he’s meant to be the best; I’d give it a try. Is he offering sessions up there do you know?” She asked and a few faces who no one had really noticed but were obviously listening in turned to Dean.  
“Look, there’s no one going by that name doing anything like that okay” Dean said putting down his desert, his appetite gone.  
“But...”Came another random voice about to add to that particular line of questioning and Dean decided that these folks weren’t pack for a god damn reason; he made some excuses and abruptly left.  
~~~

 

Back home the first group of people eventually left looking like glowing examples of perfect health and spiritual wellness.  
Steve donned Kate’s marigolds and apron and proceeded to clean the living daylights out of the house after them.  
Dean sat and glared at him menacingly from the lawn like only a giant monster wolf sitting inches from your doorstep can.  
Steve, having tolerated this behaviour from this evil looking creature for a week now ignored him as best he could as he busied himself with the task of preparing the house for the next wave of clients. Sure he didn’t dare venture far from the safety of the porch but he had plenty to do there anyway.  
Eventually Dean fell asleep in the cool afternoon sun.  
Steve relaxed enough to open the doors and windows up ready for the first new car to arrive.  
~~~  
Dean woke and wrinkled his nose against the foreign smell of chemical air fresheners and perfumes. The gentle sound of scrubbing had been replaced by the loud and obnoxious sound of twenty or so people chattering on the lawn. Fake colours in their hair and on their faces spoke volumes about the false environment that they had just escaped from especially to pollute his.  
Steve welcomed them all personally with open arms offering them herbal tea and, Dean smelt the air to be sure fresh cookies. He’d been asleep far longer than he’d realised.  
No one noticed him as they chatted idly on the lawn with drinks and nibbles, so he stayed there, invisible, listening to the individual twang of their accents as they spoke awkwardly to one another. Obviously making huge efforts to avoid mentioning their all consuming profession or family. They were here in a bid to escape all that.  
Soon enough one of them noticed him lying there in plain view. They giggled and pointed and bravely crept nearer.  
“It is a dog isn’t it? Not a horse or one of those new alpaco thingies” One lady giggled edging closer.  
Dean stood up abruptly, even on all fours he stood well over four feet, the shocked gasp was too easy as they turned on their high heels and wobbled back across the lawn to the safety of the house. He huffed a laugh anyway.  
“Oh that” Steve explained as his customers questioned him on the security of this new venue “that’s actually the landlords um, animal it keeps the wildlife in check”  
“What? They use that to chase the squirrels? Bit over kill wouldn’t you say?”  
“No they get bigger things out here” Steve explained “like bears”  
“What? Do you ever see any?” A sharp eyed guy asked looking most interested, Dean could tell he was a hunter, the animal sort, not that he liked any kind of hunter these days  
“No, so I guess it works” Steve sighed reluctantly  
“Are you sure? Only that doesn’t look like any dog I’ve ever seen”  
“Um sort of, look Efram, I’m told that it doesn’t bite so if we can ignore it hopefully it will just wander off in a little while” Steve explained as there seemed to be a growing interest in the beast within the group. “Shall we get back to settling in? Maybe getting started?” he said hoping to distract the group away. Slowly they followed his lead and stepped inside to get settling in.  
Intimidation game seemingly over Dean trotted off to investigate the new expensive collection of cars on the driveway. These people were worth a fortune if what they drove was anything to go by. What the hell was it about Steve that attracted them so far out of their natural environment to separate with their cash? Dean was intrigued.  
~~~  
Steve squinted suspiciously at the wolf dog again. It had finished inspecting the vehicles and was back to staring “it’s just an animal” he kept repeating to himself “Just a great big bloody intimidating animal”. He tried not to pay it any attention as he walked passed it over to his shabby car to make the drive into town for supplies.  
Dean had heard Steve announce that he’d be a couple of hours and watched him drive away before strolling over to the house to investigate properly what was going on.  
Cautiously he padded up to the door listening for movement inside before pushing down quietly on the handle with his very long flexible paw and venturing in. Everyone was in the kitchen chatting over yet more tea and cake. Dean crept up stairs to sniff around.  
The house looked different devoid of their family stuff as he wandered through the various bedrooms. Each room had been freshly cleaned and laundered ready for the new guests, each that is except for Dean’s own room which Steve was obviously using for himself. Dean instantly hated the invasion of his personal territory, more so with his sensitive wolf senses. The bed smelt of sweet sharp musk and faintly of blood orange of all things, and the draws were full of foreign crap. He clawed one open and his nose was assaulted by yet more herbs and hemp. Another draw was full of cash, cash with traces of oil, grease, meth and even blood. Dirty city money Dean huffed pushing the draw shut with his nose leaving a messy smear. There was nothing here incriminating and little else to find. Steve had like three sets of clothes period, and all of those were old. He checked the bathroom but found nothing there either.  
Soon he heard the voices of the guests coming up. He crept back into his room and lay down alongside the bed. Sure he could turn and borrow some clothes and walk out but he could scent so much more about them this close with his lupine nose so he waited a while gathering information where he could. They smelt bad just like their money, but just human bad nothing threatening to a were.  
Sure enough everyone settled in their rooms and Dean crept passed and down the stairs where he could now sniff around the library properly. He picked up scents of sex and that strange blood orange like musk, no longer sharp, he was already getting used to it. It was stronger here, especially outside the door where Dean had had that horrible flash back. He felt uncomfortable still at the memory and went to sniff around the kitchen. Fresh tea and cakes, a big change from the rare meat Kate usually, well actually always served. Not that he was complaining but the sweetness of baking was nice, like when he was a kid and.... He didn’t want to think about that now. The other rooms smelt equally of musk and sweat though much diluted after the though cleaning Steve had completed earlier. He’d done a good job. If Dean’s senses weren’t as hot as a bloodhounds it would have been enough to mask that anyone had been here. There was nothing else to find. Dean left to take a jog around the tracks disappointed that he’d discovered zilch.  
~~~  
Later loneliness got the better of Dean so he changed back to human form and drove into town. Ellen’s was alive with activity and he wandered over to the bar to join his friends there. Any relief that he had been feeling for the welcome company was soon lost however as all everyone was talking about Steve. Apparently he had only just left the bar and was the nicest most interesting guy in the whole entire bloody world. Dean tried not to puke.  
“What’s the big deal he’s just an average guy” Dean grouched after Ellen sang his praises for his amazing abilities to out drink her.  
“He’s trouble” Ruby said “I don’t like him” and as an aside to Dean she whispered “He only had two shots! I don’t know why Ellen insists that they finished the bottle together, and he was here for like ten minutes half of which he spent crunching pork bits but listen to them! It’s like there’re under some kind of enchantment or something”  
“Enchantment?” Dean scoffed reluctant to agree with his nemesis and maybe a little big headed that he’d been able to see through whatever it was Steve did to people “You make it sound like you must be some sort of witch to walk into a place and have people actually like you”  
“It’s a figure of speech” Ruby snapped “An observation and something old wives would warn you over, too good to be true kind of thing”  
“I’ve never heard anything like that”  
“Well its common place where I come from okay? So yeah I’m weary of such things so sue me when this town goes to shit”  
“Okay” Dean said trying to remember where it was that Ruby had said that she’d come from. What did he really know about her? About anyone here really? He’d never thought about it before, being so secretive himself about pack stuff he’d missed that everyone else was perhaps just as secretive, perhaps had something to hide. He was missing his pack and finding fault with everyone again, ‘Do that long enough and you’ll go feral!’ he heard Kate’s warning growl at the back of his subconscious. Outside of his thoughts Ruby was still moaning, Dean tried to listen and take more interest, after all Sam might be introducing her to the family one day. Maybe even turning her, she could be bearing his brothers pups before too long. Dean grimaced.  
“I mean he was perfectly charming” Ruby whined louder  
“Who?” Dean asked waking up from his horrible train of thought  
“Steve for fucks sake! But back at your place when I first met him he was the exact opposite! He was taller and somehow darker and really threatening. Staring at me all the time”  
“Yeah” Dean agreed “I thought he was taller”  
Ruby pulled Dean’s arm leading him away from the others at the bar “Listen you got to figure out who he is and what he’s up too”  
“I’ve been looking around he seems clean he’s just a bit creepy that’s all”  
“Look harder!” Ruby hissed “there has to be something, look for anything odd even if you can’t believe it, it might be a clue as to what sort of threat we’re dealing with here”  
“Uh you know how crazy you sound right?” Dean whispered back amused that she thought she could control him to do her paranoid bidding  
“Sam believes me! And is taking this very seriously!”  
“Doing what exactly?”  
“Looking into your guy, researching, trying to protect his friends from danger”  
“That really wasn’t the case last time we spoke” Dean said feeling utterly done with the girl. Lisa had just wandered in, Lisa who hadn’t called or texted in a couple of weeks now...“Look I’ve got to go, later ok” he said making a quick escape. Behind him he could hear Rudy fuming but that didn’t matter he’d come here to relax and there was a good chance of doing just that and maybe a little more with Lisa. She was meeting friends but smiled when she saw Dean and invited him over to sit with them.  
“Dean you know Rhonda and Lydia” Lisa said introducing her companions. Dean did know them, intimately; it was a small town.  
“Lisa tells us it’s getting quite serious between you two” Rhonda smirked, not unkindly but the girl liked her kinks and ‘taken guy’ might well be another one of them if that filthy grin was anything to go by  
Dean swallowed, he liked Lisa, liked her kid, knew his dad would have a fit of joy if he heard that, but Rhonda and that time she produced those tiny panties with stern instructions for what Dean was to do with them.... somehow commitment sounded too much .... No, it would be the best thing, he should be so lucky even, yet....he just wasn’t ready, not yet anyway.  
“Relax!” Lisa laughed batting Dean’s arm “She’s kidding!” she giggled turning back to her friends to whisper not so subtly “but man is the sex ever good”  
“Do tell” Lydia purred and between them the girls teased Dean and mercilessly compared every half decent and every not at all decent sexual conquest they’d had in town with some very detailed accounts.  
Dean listened both amused and slightly afraid, these girls were predators, well actually he liked that, but together they seemed dangerous despite their small unassuming frames. Dean felt slightly out of his league sitting among them, like here he was the prey, a feeling that was both intriguing as it was intimidating. It was a whole different kind of buzz...  
“So that Steve guy was in here earlier” Rhonda said mischievously “You know, The Tantric guru guy”  
“Fresh meat more like” Lisa said “Has anyone jumped that yet?”  
“Not yet” Lydia smiled “But believe me when I do you’ll hear it. Have you seen his clients?”  
“They drive right by my place, hot!” Rhonda smiled fanning herself “Wouldn’t mind a peek behind those curtains”  
Dean felt his hackles rise, they were talking about his territory, spying on pack turf. Sexy or not he felt threatened, the girls chatted on oblivious. Steve this and Steve that. Dean was reluctant to admit it but Ruby had a point everyone seemed unnaturally obsessed with the guy.  
“Would you like to come back to mine?” Lisa asked shaking Dean out of his thoughts. It was late and Ellen was closing up round them.  
“No” Dean said wanting nothing right now but his pack, even Lisa’s company had turned sour.  
“Maybe next time then” She said lightly jumping up to leave with her friends “See you round Dean”

Dean’s drive back was lonely. The now necessary parameter check after feeling like he’d been drinking with predators all night tiring, the cramped little lodge was feeling even more confined; and Sam wasn’t answering his calls. Dean switched forms and went to patrol again. He couldn’t turn off, a long detailed patrol double checking every scent till he was all but ready to drop off where he stood.  
He was just passing the main house when he slowed his pace to a walk. The new guests were out on the lawn, the sun was just lighting up the horizon and they were tittering away happily, still enjoying last night’s drink. They’d long lost their last leg to stand on and draped themselves bonelessly across mats and deck chairs curling into their blankets to prolong the moment a little more.  
Dean stopped to watch them enviously. Their deodorant and make up was now gone they seemed somehow more tolerable. He marvelled at the change in them already, clearly these relaxing breaks were as much a tonic as they claimed to be.  
There was a crash inside the house, followed by a heavy thud, the kind something soft like a body makes when it hits the floor from a height. No one noticed, they were too far gone to do anything if they did. Dean waited. Another crash made up his mind and he went in following his nose to where the noise was coming from. It was Steve having some kind of seizure at the bottom of the stairs the bruises suggested it had started at the top, the clear plastic baggy of pills smelling strongly of Meg suggested that this was drug induced.  
Dean checked that Steve really was wasted. Still no one was coming so he switched back to human form, naked human form, and shit he hoped no one still was coming as he gave Steve a more thorough check. He was coming too now. His muscles relaxing and his blown eyes gaining some sort of awareness.  
“Umph” Steve whined looking pleadingly up the stairs “ssss” He pointed up like he could just be there if he reached hard enough. His stomach gurgled and he clenched hard at it moaning.  
That’s all the information Dean needed he quickly got to work helping the guy in his struggle to get up. Steve wasn’t all that small and scrawny he was six feet of solid lead. Dean was unnaturally strong, being were an all, but still the idea of carrying this dude bridal style went out the window and an arm round the torso drag ensued to get him to the toilet bowl in time.  
Much sweating later and he was holding Steve down for a little impromptu detox.  
Steve was embarrassingly delirious clutching at Dean’s legs and babbling throughout calling Dean Gabriel and pleading for ice cream. Dean patted his back and said “no” repeatedly and soothingly until it was all over. Much water and some ugly crying later Dean dumped Steve unceremoniously on top of his comforter.  
And now the other guests decided to come in. Dean could hear them inconveniently filing up the stairs chatting loudly and crashing into what little obstacles that there were, giggling at the hilarity of their own pathetic plight. Dean sighed, he going to be stuck here some time.  
Steve’s stomach churned from where he lay on the bed calling Dean’s attention back to him. He was empty Dean was sure he was empty but he rolled him on his side anyway to be safe, Steve was boneless and refused to stay put. In his mind there was only one thing for it, Dean turned wolf and propped Steve in place by lying alongside him with his nose pointed past Steve’s feet toward the open door for when he’d no doubt have to make a quick exit at some point. By now the sun was gently lighting the room. Dean watched the oblivious guests stumble slowly passed and into their respective rooms.  
Beside him Steve groaned and tried rolling back throwing an arm out to see what was stopping him. He was asleep again before the feel of fur between his fingers had registered with his brain and he slept through one girl ‘accidently’ falling into his room. She wobbled where she stood drunkenly contemplating the wolf on the bed with Steve glaring at her with wide baleful eyes. She blinked hard, too drunk to believe what she was seeing and backed out to sleep it off somewhere else.  
Dean huffed at the ridiculousness of it all, but he was glad to be comfortable back in his familiar surroundings and away from the empty lodge. Small mercies he thought as he allowed himself ten minutes to rest his eyes.  
It was easily late morning when Dean opened his eyes again.  
A hand was carding absently through the fur below his shoulders. He was comfortable warm and that musky smell wasn’t all that bad when the hand stilled and feet were suddenly kicking beside him in a wild scramble to get as far up the bed and away as possible.  
Dean huffed a laugh.  
“Oh shit oh shit oh fucking shit” Steve hissed perching himself up on top of the pillows before getting a grip on himself. His heart was going double time and he didn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “So” He said when he caught his breath and the wolf still hadn’t eaten him “I, I guess you really are tame then” He said it almost as if he was asking the animal for conformation before he took a deep breath and with a shaking hand reached out tentatively to touch the animal again.  
Dean turned his head to regard him suspiciously, Steve was too small to be a threat, but still he didn’t like him.  
Steve hesitated, his hand held just above Dean’s hip. He swallowed audibly gathering courage again.  
Dean slipped away just before he made contact.  
The rush of movement made Steve flinch hard recoiling back to the top of the bed and again there was that that smell, it was clear even with all the other scents in the house, in the room, it tingled above all that making the air feel somehow charged with it. Dean turned back hesitating by the door, this was it, what the weird little dude did but what was it? He watched confused head tilted in question.  
Steve sat bolt upright and stock still, his eyes wide with fear and was it his imagination or was the wolf studying him? As the moment drew itself out nerves got the better of him and tight muscles desperate to flee twitched with adrenaline. His eyes flicked to the door, which the wolf was blocking, then the window which was shut before returning.  
Dean watched him, amused and curious, then he noticed something odd, Steve’s sweat pants were somehow inflating and twitching down one side independently from his leg.  
Steve tried to breathe deep, to concentrate his efforts to defend himself “What the hell even scares a dog that big anyway?” he asked himself his voice horribly high. But by now even his hair was standing up and crackling from the charge of power he’d automatically generated. The monstrously huge dog continued scrutinizing him. It had the most disapproving look about its face that a dog could muster. The whole situation seemed too surreal to be real.  
“It’s just a dog, just a really really big kinda ugly dog” Steve muttered, still nothing happened but memories from last night began to emerge, the bad trip, the impossible struggle to the bathroom, his legs failing to cooperate and the fall. He checked his body over and was glad to find he was well practiced enough to tuck and roll when he lost control like that. It wasn’t good but he was okay, Gabriel was there looking after him like he used too when they were being stupid together... but that was impossible. He slumped defeated missing his brother his family like a fish would miss water.  
Dean felt the tingaly power fade down to just the smell of fear as Steve collapsed against the bed head. What was this guy? He couldn’t ask because in lupine form he lacked the vocal coordination so he did the next best thing he slowly approached the guy to sniff at him.  
Steve held dead still as the wolf edged closer. He was all wide blue eyes and mad static hair. Dean climbed back up onto the bed pushed his nose into that hair and sniffed deep. There it was, that thick musky smell a little more citrusy maybe but the same. It was stronger round his neck and tingled on Dean’s nose and tongue like popping candy. Was this the taste of magic? It was strongest further down like the guy was holding a bar of perfumed soap in his pocket.  
Steve flinched and wriggled at the close inspection surprising himself by grabbing the animals chops to make it quit when it started going a little too far south for his liking. The wolf held still licking its lips and man it’s muzzle alone was easily the length of his forearm. Steve pushed it back as it’s breath was awful, even compared to his own puke tainted morning breath, and he marvelled as the animal obediently backed up out of his business and sat back on its haunches making the bed springs creak dangerously beneath them.  
“You, you really are tame” Steve said shocked. The wolf sat staring at his pants. Steve hesitated for a moment as he weighed his thoughts “It’s just a dog” He said again and bravely held out his hand for the dog to investigate.  
Dean sniffed it briefly but he’d been smelling that all night, he was interested in what else it was Steve was hiding. He looked back at Steve hoping he’d willingly reveal more.  
Steve could see the dissatisfaction on the animals face and somehow knew it wasn’t going to give up till it knew what was different about this stranger invading its house. He guessed his smell made it hard for it to distinguish between what it was trained to keep out and what it was apparently letting in. Dogs generally didn’t like him, especially hounds, he was used to that but this, this was altogether different in a way he couldn’t place. Like the animal was giving him a chance. He actually wanted to trust this dog, trust it like he had never trusted any human. What could happen? It couldn’t tell anyone and if it wanted to attack or chase him out it would have done so anyway. The dog sat, patiently waiting it’s huge head focussed souly on him. Steve slowly started pulling on the hem of his sweats, rolling forward to kneel in the space between them. He reached down the back of his pants and pulled his tail free.  
That was what it, what Dean couldn’t place.  
It was a long black brush of a thing, very foxy looking and of course now Dean could pinpoint it that musky smell was very foxy in nature too.  
“So what now?” Steve asked the dog who sat there contemplating the strange attachment in a disturbingly human sort of way  
Dean huffed a few times. If he were human he would have been saying ‘what the ever living fuck is that all about’, but as a wolf it just came out as a few random wuffs.  
Steve laughed quietly at the strange reaction. He sat up on his knees and gave the tail a cursory wave watching the dog watching him, relaxing and enjoying the moment.  
Steve smiled widely and was about to say something when somewhere outside someone stirred.  
“Shit” Steve muttered instead, tucking himself quickly away “I’d better go shower and get the coffee on anyway”


	5. Chapter 5

And so the moment of discovery was over, Steve too was some sort of supernatural being.  
Dean wondered what the odds were for supes meeting like this without killing each other. But then what did he really know? Only what he’d learnt as a hunter and that was very limited. Hunters only ever heard about supes when they slipped up and drew attention to themselves. Hence every vamp nest that got destroyed was always the last, why every werewolf was bad. Sure there was a lot of truth in those laws too, werewolves were bad especially round full moon, they just didn’t sum up all monsters all the time.  
Steve seemed to be the only supernatural being in the group. Dean wondered how he was keeping his shit together all alone like that, a werewolf would have struggled, found it impossible in fact. Dean wondered what exactly Steve was. He considered going back to the lodge where his father’s old hunter journal was still kept, maybe even calling Sam to share his discovery but what did he actually know? The guy had a tail, weird but not illegal and could generate some illusion like effects when threatened, not a big deal by werewolf standards. No, he decided he would stick around and find out more, at least until after breakfast as hippies made really, repeat really good waffles. Steve gave him copious amounts of eggs and bacon too, chatting randomly all the while as the others slowly came down to join them. It didn’t take long before they too started warming to the huge dog being an accepted part of their group.  
~~~  
Dean found that the benefits of being liked far outweighed the simple joy of terrorising people. Steve tied a blue neckerchief round him, fed and fussed him regularly. He had full access to the house so no more time in the cramped lodge, he sat in on meditation and yoga classes, watched the outdoor cleansing of the chakras or whatever else they did. Listened to the weird ass talks, both group and one to one’s, encase anyone else confessed to being anything more than human, not because he liked the company or nothing. He even took part in the morning jogs with the prettier women; well he had to patrol anyway and man did those girls improve the view.  
All in all it was all very clean, very predictable stuff. Even the evening garden parties when alcohol and weed came out everyone knew their limits. Dean buried Meg’s bag of evil crap to make sure it never got used again and everything was nice for a few days, till Dean found it all bloody boring.   
He started pushing his boundaries a bit, seeing what an oversized ugly mutt could get away with before someone got pissed enough to try swatting him. It was truly a sign that he was getting too relaxed. He stalked after joggers making fake lunges every now and then to get a raise. Nothing ever came of it, he’d just get laughed off with a ‘silly puppy’ remark which irritated and pushed him to go further. He’d eat off the table to no effect, ripped up some vile zebra skin carry all and any clothes he found lying around that he strongly disapproved of, but still nothing. He drooled on shoes, buried yoga mats, tore down the stupid bead curtains, traipsed in mud, made damn sure he always stank of wet fur and shed on all the beds. He was on his way to bury the wind chimes too when he noticed Steve sat on the porch dangling his legs while sipping green tea in the cool morning sun. Dean stalked over with his mouth full of chewed wind chime and pushed his chest right up against the guys back forcing him to lean forward over the edge. His dew claws scraped Steve’s outer thighs where they held him and his muzzle rested perfectly over his head demonstrating Dean’s size and dominance. Dean growled aggressively low, teeth clamping tighter crushing the chimes with a satisfying crunch; he waited, wondering what Steve would do.   
Steve did nothing, not until a long line of drool dripped down the hollow of a bent chime into his hair. He huffed out a long breath, lowering the cup he was nursing down into his lap.   
Not what Dean was expecting. These guys were way too chill to torment with any satisfaction, Sam would have... Sam, suddenly Dean realised just how much he was missing his brother, this mindless kind of disgusting was reserved solely for Sam not... He’d been slowly replacing his pack with the familiarity of these complete strangers, he felt horrified.  
“What’s wrong?” Steve asked reaching back to pet whatever fur his hand found and Dean almost answered lonely but his lupine throat couldn’t verbalise it instead he sort of coughed and drooped more drool on the dudes head. There was a satisfying little ‘plop’ sound as some drool rolled off Steve’s hair and fell into his tea.  
“Disgusting” Steve sighed pushing Dean off “Go take a walk till you feel better”  
Dean growled some more, he was not some kid but he went anyway. It was a good idea, he needed to get his head back on track. He walked for sometime sniffing the further reaches of the trails going up into the hills and even howling for his pack.   
There came a faint answer.   
They were distant but this side of the mountain, they had just hunted and were resting up.  
Dean hadn’t hunted in weeks and was now restless. He howled again asking to join them but his father howled back reminding him of his duty to protect the home and watch his brother.   
Disappointed Dean walked all day in the foot hills before heading back. True he missed his pack but he was also starting to miss his hippies. Coming back to the house he realised how much that musky citrus smell now permeated the place. It had an unnaturally calming effect on him which felt wrong but also a little nice too.  
The lights were on in the main room, the group was at the tail end of a meditation and Steve’s voice droned low and resinous as he finished up his thoughts on bees as some metaphor for existence. Dean scratched open the door and wandered in, the long claws on his heavy paws scraping and clacking methodically along the wood flooring of the hallway till he could see Steve and a few others sitting cross legged as he peeked in. Steve didn’t look as relaxed as he sounded; he was throwing quick glances toward the darkened hallway where Dean lurked. Dean thought about jumping out at him for a moment too long as Steve squinted harder into the shadows.  
Steve’s face lit up seeing Dean skulking there and Dean, Dean felt good for having been missed by someone, anyone right now. He stepped further in, everyone was present and there was a real feel of excitement to the air like he’d just walked in on Christmas or something. It was the same sort of feeling Dean felt before a hunt. He wondered what it was that got hippies this excited.  
“Okay, shall we all get cleaned up for the orgy?” Steve said as calmly as if he were offering a fresh round of tea.   
Dean did a double take, he’d misheard obviously.   
The guests all filed out passed him, eagerly Dean noted. Upstairs he could hear taps turning and a flurry of giggles.  
“Good to see you again” Steve said giving the dog his full attention “Now shoo! This is adults only” He said pushing Dean reluctantly back toward the door. Dean didn’t budge an inch, those hippies were hot. He’d been not so subtly eye banging one, well three but Tessa mostly since she’d got here and even though there was no way they were about to do what he thought/ hoped they were about to do, there was no way he was leaving this room encase they did.  
“You perv” Steve accused when he realised the dog wasn’t moving no matter how hard he pushed at it so he started prepping the room instead moving the furniture against the walls. Next he started gathering up all the cushions he could find and laying them about the floor. As the guests started returning in robes and towels they fell quickly into helping turning the main reception into what looked like a giant play room. Bottles of lube appeared along with an assortment of dildos and were set about the place.   
Steve did a quick head count “Okay if we could all sit and get comfortable” he said watching them carefully as he backed out of the room “I’ll just be a moment”   
Everyone made themselves comfortable on the floor, soon their shuffling ceased and the room fell deathly silent. All eyes were fixed on the door Steve had drawn shut behind him. It was odd, eerie almost; Dean could hear him just outside maybe a foot away. He wasn’t doing anything as far as he could tell, still everyone waited obediently.   
An air of expectation you could almost taste seemed to be building round them. If Dean didn’t know better he could have sworn there was a generator close by vibrating the ground, the air even.  
A minute passed, maybe ten and Dean’s paws itched with need for something to happed already, for someone to break the silence.  
The door snapped open and Steve stepped back in, his hemp sweats low on his hips allowing his tail to hang free. The dark fur of his brush was bristled thick and he waved it a little as he entered releasing a wave of musk thick enough to make Dean cough. A sort of static electricity filled the air and Steve announced with a sly grin “Show time” which had the effect of everyone in the room falling on their closest companion in a frenzy of starved kisses and hungry hands.   
Steve waited, surveying the couplings till he seemed satisfied. He then stepped carefully around to his favoured position at the head of the room where he arranged a few cushions so he could comfortably lie down with his tail held high. One of Sam’s thicker law books appeared out from under a larger pillow and he began thumbing through the pages.  
Dean stood staring in open mouthed wonder. People were stripping each other of their towels and a full on orgy was taking place right before his very shocked yet eager eyes. The disproportionate number of women to men in the room made things very hot very quick. He was having a hard time believing any of what he was seeing but most curiously he couldn’t fathom how oblivious everyone was to both himself and Steve. He’d have found a huge dirty dog and a guy with a tail flicking wildly a massive distraction but these guys, these guys were already too far gone on each other to notice.  
Steve turned a page very pointedly, the sharp sound of the crisp paper cut through the moans and sloppy wet fumbled kisses filling the room to get Dean’s attention. “Come here and sit” Steve said sternly.  
Without thinking Dean did as told curling up on the cushions next to him obediently to watch from the safety of the sidelines.  
Five minutes in and Dean could see where all the yoga stretching came in handy. Girl on girl action had to get pretty imaginative for both participants to get off grinding against one another. His eyes roamed the room, toned thighs, flushed crotches and soft bosoms littered the floor while hands stroked, squeezed and dipped obscenely. He found Tessa with another equally hot girl straddling one another in a scissor sister kind of position. Tessa it turned out was the domineering type, god he loved those, She forced her companion down onto her back, drawing a knee up over her shoulder holding her open while her fingers played lightly between both their legs.  
Dean shifted and audibly swallowed when Tessa leant down to lock lips again with her partner, her long dark hair mingling with the pretty blonds in perfect contrast. His eyes flicked up to Steve, who thankfully didn’t seem to notice the girls or his own very un-dog like reaction, before racing back.  
Both girls were sucking and moaning into one another’s mouth slowly grinding their hips closer together. Tessa shifted, dropping her friend’s knee, pushing her to open her thighs wider. She pushed a thumb against her companions cleft rubbing feather light circles there while her fingers rubbed, swirled then dipped into her shamelessly open vagina.   
Dean looked away, people writhed about the room everywhere his eyes landed, no one was as hot as Tessa, he looked back. The blond was canting her hips, reaching up as much as she could hungry for more. Tessa didn’t oblige, instead she pulled back keeping the contact teasingly inadequate between them. Dean watched mesmerised taking notes on Tessa’s handy work to get her companion into such a debauched state, it helped being a woman he guessed.  
Tessa’s mouth kissed down to take hold of a breast mouthing wildly at it like she would eat it if she could. The blond redoubled her efforts to fuck up onto her hand, gripping and kneading at Tessa’s tits, watching and appreciating the attention to her own bosom as much as Dean was. Tessa’s fingers got wetter with each dip till they each glistened wet and slick, her hand trailed down too to start intruding in on the blonds anus. Rubbing and stroking there with equally delicate strokes and swirls, dipping in deeper to open that confined space.  
Steve turned another page glancing up briefly “Tessa” he said almost conversationally getting her immediate attention “present yourself for Ion. You can continue with Rachael orally, Hester Rachael’s face is free”  
Tessa moved to bury her face deep between Rachael’s thighs, while holding her hips high for a sleek looking man to nervously work his way into.  
“Slowly Ion, warm her up first” Steve said as the guy fumbled inadequately round Tessa’s rear. She didn’t make it easy for him; she only opened for him when his mouthing turned to nipping along the crease of her buttock. He rolled to position himself to mouth at her inner thighs holding her to him with an arm round her hips, which was exactly what she must have wanted as next thing he was flat on the ground with her ridding his face.   
Rachael moved on to be the aggressor in another girl on girl coupling, dildos filled holes fingers weren’t occupying, hips moving faster against each other. Dean looked away again willing himself not to get aroused. He loved sexually dominant women; it was his go to fantasy, watching so many of them like this was too much, over kill almost.  
Beside him Steve was still giving instructions in that dry level tone of his.   
Dean wasn’t really paying him much attention what with all the whimpering and gasping around them, but little snatches would filter through. Things like “open then crook your fingers, pull up gently, hold still and let her guide you, more lube Ion!”  
Dean looked up, Ion was fumbling with the bottle coating himself hurriedly before lining himself with Tessa’s anus a hideously pink dildo plugged her vagina and the building sounds she made as Ion slapped himself against her were pure pleasure.   
“Eat him out before you enter him” Steve said tutting his disapproval at another couple.   
Dean dragged his eyes off Tessa to where Steve was looking. A slim guy was buried face first between a disproportionately stacked taller dude’s toned ass. Dean couldn’t see how he was breathing that deep in but the noises of his sloppy sucking there were evident. His partner positively squirmed with unashamed abandon at the attention, arching further for more attention. Dean had never seen real gay sex between men before, his treacheries ass twitched hard before he could generate an opinion on such things. He turned hurriedly away not entirely sure what to do with that information. His eyes landed on some more hot girl on girl, and damn it, on girl action; it was too much. He actually thought about leaving, admitting defeat and just exiting quietly but when he could pull his eyes off of the myriad or couples thrusting away he couldn’t see a clear path through them to the door.   
Steve turned another page in his book beside him, that book had to be what kept him so calm and unaffected, Dean moved himself round so to see better. It was all stuffy technical jargon that you couldn’t just jump into. Around him people switched partners; switched ends switched which way they were swinging fluidly. Dean found a heading on the page of desperately boring type and threw himself in, concentrating hard on section eighteen of criminal law litigation, the ins and outs of legal aid in criminal defence like his very existence depended on it.  
Thirty minutes, thirty long hard minutes later and Steve palmed his face rubbing hard over his eyes while stifling a yawn, he appealed for everyone who was still standing to finish each other off with a level but considerate ‘please’.   
By now the room reeked of sweat and sex. People who had fallen by the wayside gathered themselves up to stretch and assist in tidying up a little while the last few finished up.  
Steve picked himself up tucking away his tail slowly like he was exhausted.  
He pulled each and every person in to a warm embrace thanking them for their efforts before sending them out to get cleaned up for the evening drink and talk out on the lawn.   
Dean exited quietly and crept back to his lodge to relieve himself of the kind of raging hard on he hadn’t had since being a teen with a whole new supernaturally enhanced sex drive and nowhere to put it. It was no wonder hippies loved all this crap it was awesome.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean stayed human lounging naked and free in the lodge all night. It was the longest he’d stayed this way in a while and he stretched his limbs till they popped in all different ways. He’d thought that he’d need this time to get his head together before he went a little too far wolfish but he found that he just felt unexpectedly invigorated. So invigorated in fact that by seven o’clock the next morning he was already switching back to wolf form to take a run. Yep he was feeling awesome and he covered a wide loop of his ground in record time daring any wanna be interloper to challenge him. Of course there was nothing, the scent of pack although faint was still enough of a heads up to keep any rival monsters at bay.  
Dean was just finishing up swinging by the house and wondering if Steve was serving up breakfast yet when he saw Sam’s car pulled up. ‘Shit’ he thought but it was too late Sam had clocked him. He quickly adopted some tough wolfish posturing and skulked his way back to the lodge.  
Sam stood on the porch chatting with Steve over coffee. He acknowledged Dean as he passed far too close with a glare. He immediately turned to apologise to Steve a half formed lame excuse already on the tip of his tongue when he was knocked for six by the other mans reaction.  
“Oh I was wondering where he’d got to” Steve said smiling  
“You don’t mind? Seriously?” Sam said amazed that anyone could get used to a monster wolf waltzing right passed their door “Wait, Is that... is he wearing a neckerchief?”  
“Yeah” Steve laughed running a hand through his hair “Well I figured if he’s going to hang out so much he may as well look the part”  
“He actually hangs out?” Sam said disbelief evident in every word  
“Like you said, once you get used to him” Steve said nonchalantly sipping his coffee “what’s he called anyway?”  
“We actually call him Jerk” Sam said amused “because he’s a total jerk”  
Steve watched Sam glaring at the dog till it was long out of sight. “Yeah I actually get that” he said thoughtfully “It’s kind of endearing, the bad behaviour I mean and bit predicable. He’s smart though, like a toddler smart. You can actually tell that he does it for the attention which is remarkable for an animal”  
“Like a bloody toddler” Sam sniggered “alright Look, I’d better go catch up with my brother”  
“Oh okay, see you round then I guess”  
“Yeah later”  
~~~  
Sam arrived at the lodge just as Dean exited the shower  
“So you’re hanging out now?” Sam said accusingly.   
“Well, yeah. Keeping an eye on things” Dean smiled because he was damned if he was going to let Sam berate him for any of this.  
Sam heaved a sigh; that probably meant ogling the women, or worse. He was so not going to go down that route when he’d actually come to discuss something far more serious. He pointedly cleared his throat setting the tone for this little get together “Dad called”  
“Yeah? What’d he say?” Dean asked feigning indifference to the one person who knew him inside out on this.  
“He’s worried; you’ve been howling” Sam waited for Dean’s smart ass answer to that and hoped that it wouldn’t hamper his quality time with Ruby.  
Dean took a long ass breath before answering, it seemed Sam was out to berate him on something today and that was that “Just to check in on them that’s all” He said levelly surprised that he sort of meant it. “So where have you been anyway? You weren’t with Ruby last time I saw her”  
“Yeah, uh, no” Sam stuttered remembering why he’s quality time had been pretty shit so far “Look, I actually tried going to the university library” He began to fidget, pace even as he tried to put words to what had happened.  
“Uh why?”   
“Ruby was all paranoid about this Steve guy so I humoured her, said I’d research him and wellness and whatever, but that doesn’t matter the point is I didn’t make it. I got as far as two towns over then it was like hitting a wall or, or something was pulling me back here; I couldn’t drive walk or even hitch any further, no matter what direction I went”  
“Did you tell Dad?”  
“Course, he spent more time studying the supernatural than we ever did so I told him about it and he said he’d been having the same problem reaching the furthest points of our territory, something kept willing him to turn back. He thought it was the fact that he’d left us here especially when you were howling but now, now he thinks it’s something more so he’s looking into it”  
“So, you never got to a library then?”  
“No, well our local one but there was nothing much there as you’d expect. Ruby suggested I go to the bigger one at the college so that’s what I’ve been trying to do all this time. Have you discovered anything new?”  
Dean thought hard about not sharing, he felt almost possessive of his new people, if it had been anyone else asking... he felt difficult about keeping stuff from Sam, “Well everything seems pretty legit and all, but Steve, he does have some sort of low level magic, he can make you hallucinate your worst fear. He uses it as a sort of defence. It’s weak, once you know what to expect it’s gone so not really a big deal” He said waving it off for extra emphasis.  
“Weird” Sam said thoughtfully “Witchcraft do you think?”  
“I don’t know” Dean said unwilling to share more. That was the important part. Whatever else Steve was might involve the weird sex which Dean did not plan on sharing or even giving up anytime soon.  
“Ruby’s adamant I should dig some more”  
“Honestly Sam he seems harmless, that not being able to leave town crap sounds way more important”  
“Dean you were shitting a brick curled up over the old photo album not so long ago, let’s not underestimate this too soon. Have you checked the house?”  
“Yes!” Dean griped, “I already said I was keeping an eye on things, there’s nothing”  
Sam looked shocked that Dean was taking things seriously “Okay. Well, keep your eyes open for anything else then I guess; and uh, don’t forget your neckerchief Fido” Sam smiled picking up the scrap of cloth to toss at his brother.  
“Screw you bitch” Dean said catching it and tucking it into his pocket “S’not even my colour”  
“I’ll look out for a plaid one now I know how much you like them” Sam teased “Listen, I’m going to go catch up with Ruby, are you ok here on your own?”  
“Yeah I’m fine”  
“Really?” Sam asked genuinely concerned  
“Yeah really, so go share your make up tips and get back to me if you find something okay?”  
“Yeah sure” Sam smiled, “I’ll call”  
~~~

 

Later that night Steve’s group were again preparing for sex only tonight it was to be more of a lesson. The meditation of the day had been about awareness of self and others and that theme was to be carried through as Steve asked everyone to stop their free for all groping of each other and listen up.  
“We are going to try something a bit different, we are going to try and achieve something deeper and far more sensual”  
The group drew away from each other sitting up straighter. Steve continued.  
“The state of meditation has much the same effect on our brain as orgasm; we achieve a state of bliss, the more practiced we are the greater that feeling. We are all, or at least I hope we are all far more practiced at achieving this high through orgasm. Orgasm is relatively easier, especially too get right but the result is much shorter lived. I want us to try and combine the two, to reach a meditative state as we come and achieve a more sustained high known as a ‘super-conscious’ state” Steve walked around the room as he spoke carefully taking note of everyone as he went. As with the night before he wore his tail loose letting it twitch randomly, the fur of it was alive with static and it practically crackled if it held still too long, again no one paid it any attention. He glanced down to a note pad he was carrying.   
“To do this we need to unburden ourselves, let go of troublesome thoughts and nagging interests outside of this space. If they do come, and they will, then I want you to just let them go without getting swept along. This is your time and you need to let yourself regress back to a time when everything was simpler”   
Pleased that everyone was sufficiently under his influence Steve started to retreat to his favourite spot to sit. Dean was already there sat on his haunches and waiting expectantly, a couple of Sam’s law books and a bottle of water was sat beside him, Steve had prepared for a long session and Dean was so up for that.  
“I want you to think about when you were younger, when making out was enough of a thrill to make you feel giddy for days after” Steve stopped, suddenly losing his train of thought as he noticed the huge wolf in the room, he instinctively froze up before recognizing Dean and relaxing again huffing a laugh at himself as he did. His tail twitched back up and he smiled as he glanced back down to his pad as if a monster dog in the room was nothing out of the ordinary. Not that he really had a choice, Dean wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon, but a tail twitching up like that told him he was welcome here and he let his own respond likewise enjoying the familiarity of the gesture.   
Steve cleared his throat “Let’s start with touch play, a very informative and rewarding way of asking what our partner needs, or suggesting what we ourselves want. Feel your own hands, feel what sensations you like. Soft strokes, a firm comforting grip, perhaps both. Close your eyes resume the deep breathing technique from earlier and really ask yourself what it is that feels best to you, to your inner spiritual self”  
Steve paused letting everyone do their thing while he sat down and got comfortable. He rearranged and reshuffled his cushions a few times before he was satisfied that he wasn't going to get any more comfy. He pulled his pad of paper into his lap taking a long look at it before he continued.  
“Let’s touch each other. Reach out to shake hands with your nearest partner as if you are meeting for the first time. Now we all know what we’re here for, but without words I want you to express your desire to meet this person spiritually, to share a wild impassioned moment with them”  
Steve paused again reaching for his water to take a sip and checked his watch. He started to flick through Sam’s book as if looking for something specific. He glanced up after his third unsuccessful search, picked up his pad and began the next instruction.   
From where he was sitting Dean could see word for word where Steve was reading from. All his scribbled notes, even the little asides where he’d noted where he’d lifted each paragraph from. Dean read ahead as far as he could see, which was the bottom of the A4 page, it was still rambling on about holding hands. Dean sunk dramatically down into the floor with a heavy sigh, this was going to be one long ass underproductive god forsaken night. He felt a hand pet him strangely between his ears, long fingers trying to smooth out his knitted brow.  
“You okay there Jerk?” Steve cooed, fussing at him some more but all Dean heard was ‘jerk’ and his knee jerk reaction to that was to snap his teeth seeing as he was in no position to call Sam anything in retaliation, he realised too late that it wasn't Sam teasing him this time.  
Steve snapped his hand out of the way of the dogs teeth, it would have missed him but the reaction was still unexpected and quite frankly over aggressive “Wow, you really are a jerk” He said edging his cushions and himself away from the dog a bit. He dropped his pad in the process and it fell open three pages along, Dean stabbed at it with a paw clawing it toward him to see what was next. It was still going on about holding hands. He growled and dropped back down into his sulk, he wasn't sorry for snapping anymore as the dude totally deserved it, he’d ruined the orgy. And for no good reason, if he wasn't into all this touchy feely nonsense enough to learn it then he shouldn’t be inflicting everyone else with it. Dean curled his fingers a little more letting his claws penetrate the paper enough to rip when Steve snatched the pad back.  
“I’m just going to ignore you till you feel better” Steve said smoothing out the paper and reading round the scratches.  
Dean stayed, because what else did he have to do anyway. Plus it was weird seeing some of the girls already getting off on the slow innocent tease; their cute little blushes and bright sincere smiles as they genuinely enjoyed these simple gestures. It was the kind of reaction you would expect when you really liked someone, not at an orgy so much. Dean watched amused.  
They moved on to wrists, elbows and up to hair, experimenting with various strokes caresses and even breath play to tease each other further. The less assertive members were told to take the lead when they got to the ears and neck as they were slower, more watchful for the reactions to their administrations and so set a better learning pace for their more forward partners.   
All in all it went on a bit and Dean’s mind drifted, he maybe even napped a bit because apparently boredom made for a damn relaxing atmosphere. His mind wandered aimlessly in this state of semi consciousness till he found himself fixating on pie of all things. The aroma, apple and cinnamon in this case, the intensely clean taste of spiced fruit against a rich crust. He felt warm and calm as he remembered waiting for one he’d made with Sam on a rainy afternoon to cook. The sweet smell filled the house they were staying in making their mouths water with anticipation as they sat on a cold tiled floor watching for it to brown in the oven. An image of the ‘American pie’ film cover flashed up in his head. That fuck hole right in the middle of that perfect pastry lid, the thick wet apple sauce waiting to envelop him in its sweet sticky warmth beneath. He snapped back to attention waking himself up properly, his last thought had been to imagine someone eating that pie off of him, the idea affecting him far more than it should have, he shuffled uncomfortably determined to stay awake after that.  
Around him the group had progressed onto feet, lying head to toe, side by side licking gentle stripes and teasing tongues between toes, sucking wetly at each other. The odour of sex had built considerably, hips wiggled and twitched at the attention as some were being held on the absolute edge of tolerable need with the sensations. Others, well it was evident that others needed to up their game some.  
Steve stood up to watch every now and again, telling people to switch round to even up the talent, making them start over if need be till everyone was up to speed. Robes were lost along the way and a few steps rushed through as no one wanted to waste time on sucking wrists when nipples were on display.   
Groins had still yet to be touched yet people were messily leaking down themselves with exaggerated strips of moisture, bucking at the slightest touch of breath on their skin now with genuinely pained whines. It was weird, amusing and weird, weirdly amusing even. The cushions beneath them were in a sorry state and Dean couldn’t help but wonder how he was going to explain that to Kate. He let that thought flow right out of his head as surely they were going to be starting the good stuff soon; the more intimate girl on girl kind of action that everyone had enjoyed last time.  
Steve noticed two guys at the back who were getting nothing out of the experience, “Bartholomew, Malachi, if you two could get together and maybe start over, I think you still have a bit to learn from all this. The rest of the room if you could take a breather and find a space. I want you to imagine a cool waterfall, it’s beautiful fresh water washing over you, the sensation cleansing you, leaving you cool fresh and clean, ready to start your journey to ‘super-consciousness’ again”  
Dean rolled his eyes.   
Steve intermittently rambled on about spirituality, base needs and animalistic pleasures.   
The group continued to make out till legs were just falling open exposing flushed crutches brazenly soaked with wanton need.   
Steve didn’t seem bothered; he was half way through Sam’s book and was more concerned with a crick developing in his back. Without even looking up he instructed everyone to move their focus to each other’s navel while he began rearranging his cushions again in earnest. The group didn’t notice, their moans became ever more pleading whines, their licks insistent bites and their attention to their partner’s navel a slow journey to each other’s groin and that final release.  
Dean stopped worrying about the state of Kate’s cushions, the ooze of moisture was now happily pooling on the cream carpet, why had Kate gone so light with that? More painful to him now though was the state of Rachael not too far away, rutting openly against air in her need, her groin and pale skin flushed with all the teasing. It was painful just to watch her like that and she was far from the only one in that now desperate condition.  
Steve read on, he was really hooked on criminal law, fraud in particular. His own notes lay open and neglected beside him.  
Dean reached slyly over and dragged them closer. Steve, he noted, had a really neat writing style. Rachael began panting moaning with each outlet of breath. Steve turned a page unaffected, and Dean began reading from the top of the page where Steve’s notes started mid sentence from the page before to try work out how much longer this was going to carry on for. He glossed over what seemed like a boring bit but turned out to be the abysmal state of the female sex drive, he back tracked a little in shock.  
‘39% suffered low desire, 29% no desire despite a positive physical response to stimuli, 21% failed to maintain interest till climax and 5% claimed to have never orgasmed’  
Dean mentally patted himself on the back as he was sure this was not the case for those girls lucky enough to have had him as a partner. But then he had always gone for a very forward type of girl, the kind that knew exactly what she wanted and took it. If this was what other women typically experienced it was no wonder they were all cueing for this retreat where 100% of the girls were defiantly in a state of crazed desire right now. He read on, there were a few doodles of chickens and swirls before the next section which was quoted word for word started again  
‘In orgasm you meet as two intense highly energized beings, brim full of excitement trying to unburden yourselves. It looks like madness’   
Dean looked up and, check, they’d defiantly achieved the madness so what next? He read on   
‘tantric orgasm is a deep relaxing form of intense meditation. The quality of sex changes, it becomes prayerful, it becomes sanadhi’  
Steve lifted the pad from under Dean’s nose glossing over the notes to squint at his spirals.  
Dean huffed in irritation glaring at Steve for dragging this out so long, those women shouldn’t be left like that, if anything it was disrespectful.  
Steve’s eyes caught on the dog’s strange look, he sat up straighter to stare back as he wondered what the animal was thinking, and it was defiantly thinking he was sure of it.   
Dean huffed, clicking its teeth and flexing its jaw in mild threat.  
Steve carefully chose to concentrate on the room full of people instead of the dog. He noted his two ‘slower’ students were still getting nowhere with their foreplay. They had all but given up trying, too busy gaping with pained lust at the bodies around them. That Steve decided that that would have to do  
“Okay I think we’re ready to start our first step to perfect head. Everyone, if we could all adopt a sixty nine position? Good now look at what it is you are dealing with, be it a cock or a vagina the same rules can still apply. If you’re looking at a vagina find the clitoris, it should be quite prominent by now up toward the cleft, treat it like a small cock head, the rest of the slit is equivalent to the male shaft and we all know how that works, at least I’ve never seen a guy have to fake orgasm so Ill assume we all know how that works. I want you to gently suck your partners head into your mouth and hold them there”  
Everyone obeyed and the sigh of relief to have their genitals touched accompanied by the rush of renewed moisture down there made Dean wrinkle his nose against the assault, he could imagine mouths were filling with salty pre-come as he could almost taste it the air was so thick.  
“Don’t move” Steve reiterated “Concentrate on your own genitals cradled in your partners mouth how safe it feels there. Feel that warm love for that most sensitive secretive part of you, that all encompassing acceptance in that intimate embrace. Return that love and acceptance, and some may need to wet a finger for this, I want you to enter your partners hole, front for women back for men, and hold them there crooking your finger firmly against the pelvic bone for women and prostate for men, gently find that g-spot there and just rest against it. We cannot get more intimate than reaching into each other like this. Take a moment to breath. Please don’t rub or suck each other just yet, just hold, make this moment, this concerted effort not to move, a mantra, a prayer, will yourself to embrace this feeling”  
Steve looked back to the dog who was watching the group intently its ears pricked to every gentle sigh, it was defiantly an odd animal.   
Dean felt Steve staring and side eyed him his hackles prickled in warning. He’d never seen anything like this, well he’d heard of stuff like edging but he’d never seen anything like it. His senses were over sensitive to emotion and these women were in a state of actual bliss. The guys, not that he cared, were feeling something too but not as intensely as the women were feeling it right now. Rachael was still closest to him straddling over another slim blond and the hand of the girl beneath her glistened where it tucked itself between her thighs; the smell of their sustained peaked arousal was intoxicating.   
Steve blinked looking away from the dog and its strange interest in all this.  
“On the count of three I want you to let your hips move, one, two, three, let’s come” he said gently as hips rocked minutely, bodies tensed and a wave of muffled moans filled the room.  
Steve folded his ruined notes and got up to discreetly tuck away his tail. He stretched his body out dramatically and hugged and patted his guests as they shook themselves out of their relaxed state and piled out. He turned back to the empty room to assess the extent of the mess tutting as he toed a cushion or two to glance underneath. He disappeared out to the kitchen, returning armed with marigolds water and three spray bottles of fabric cleaner. He dropped to his knees to begin when he noticed the dog still lying there.  
“Shows over boy, now shoo” He said tossing a particularly soggy cushion at the dogs head  
Dean instinctively snapped at it and ew  
Steve laughed out loud at the face the dog pulled and aimed again  
Dean wasn't going to rise to it, it was dirty and breaking some sort of laws on decency he was sure he exited the house leaving Steve to his mess and ha! he deserved it. He headed back to the lodge just in time to hear his phone finish buzzing on the counter top. He changed so he could check it, there was a message from Sam, ‘Just checking in’ it read with a missed call  
‘Good here, how’s it going your end?’ Dean wrote back  
‘I’ll start research tomorrow’ Sam admitted  
Dean knew what that meant ‘Sure’ he replied dropping the phone to enjoy some alone time.  
~~~  
The next morning Dean was feeling awesome again relaxed energised yet calm. He switched back to wolf for an almost pre dawn patrol.   
Morning mist clung to the ground swirling up as he raced through it full pelt. He drew himself to an abrupt halt minutes in when he noticed a figure on one of the lawn chairs outside the house. It was Steve, he had a chemical stink about him and was curled up tight in a wicker chair his tail exposed and wrapped up around him. Dean stepped closer at the foot of the chair was a small muddy bag, apparently he didn’t bury Meg’s shit deep enough.   
Anger built in Dean’s chest just as a gentle breeze picked up sweeping out from the forest curling the mist around them and there, the unmistakeable scent of death. Dean turned slowly studying the tree line bordering the lawn. The weak sunlight and pastel colours of dawn felt cold and sinister suddenly as the scent of decay grew stronger. His eyes couldn’t pierce the shadows and mist under the trees but his senses told him there was something in there, something undead.  
Beside him Steve stirred, rubbing his arms and feeling the cold. “Ugh” He growled uncurling and blinking in surprise at his surroundings. “Shit” he mumbled as he realised what he’d done and sighed with happy relief that the dog was the only witness to his stupidity “Morning Jerk” he yawned   
Dean growled long and an octave too low to be natural  
Steve looked disappointed at him “You’re still going to....” Steve felt it, the weight of the unseen threat hanging in the air. He quickly ducked down behind the dog and lawn furniture tucking his tail quickly away. He sniffed the air, the smell was familiar and an old rhyme his mother used to sing came suddenly to mind “Look to the shadows and heed their warning, the shadows are coming death is calling, get back to your bed and stay there till morning, rebel child don’t leave your mam mourning” He whispered under his breath.  
Dean looked round at him bemused  
“We grew up near a graveyard and were deeply superstitious, that smell smells like the ghouls we used to fear” Steve said, not expecting an answer because he was talking to a dog after all, but just feeling oddly comforted by his own voice “Of course it can’t be” Steve continued trying to feel braver and straightening up “America has hunters and supernatural beings have long become a thing of the past here. Haven’t they?”   
Dean’s head snapped back to the forest line ears pricked in concentration.  
There was a definite snap of something just out of sight and Steve ducked down again.  
“The best way to overcome your fears is too face them head on” He whispered creeping forward toward where Jerk stood staring at the tree line. There was another snap and the dog was suddenly pushing him with its nose nudging him toward the house.   
A dog that big didn’t have to nudge hard before he was falling over and he was pushing it off  
“Let me up I wanna see” He protested slapping the animal away.  
Dean became more persistent biting hold of Steve’s top to pull him back to the house where John had scratched all sorts of protections when they rebuilt the place. He ended up dragging Steve, dropping him only when he got over the thresh hold and baring the door with his body growling menacingly.   
“You really are one total jerk” Steve said finally standing and brushing the gob off his abused sleeve. He shut up when the dog stalked toward him, stepping slowly backwards feeling confused and slightly afraid now.   
Dean stalked him herding him all the way to the stairs  
Steve got the gist of what was happening here “You’re sending me to bed?” he said scornfully “I’m not being told what to do by some mad dog”  
Dean barked baring his teeth making Steve jump hard  
“Okay fine” Steve said going up but hanging out the window when he got there.  
Outside the mist was lifting and Jerk stalked out onto the lawn pacing round anxiously watching the tree line.  
It was already lighter and from his vantage point Steve studied the spot where he thought he’d heard something. There was nothing of course, or was there a shadow? He squinted harder jumping when a bough from the only oak among all the pines broke off smashing against the ground. Jerk took off racing into the woods and Steve decided to let his natural urges to curl up and hide take over.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a really hard plotty one to write, I'm sure there's typo's!!  
> Please please please!! point anything really bad out!!  
> ~~~

Dean’s phone buzzed. It was Sam again ‘Are you coming down to the roadhouse?’  
‘No. Got to keep an eye out here’ Dean replied. He hadn’t told Sam about the ghoul, he didn’t see the need he’d killed it easily enough. When he returned to the house later that day Steve had been all over him a large cut of silverside steak had been thrown on the grill served with a side of praise that came very rarely in Dean’s life. What he had here was good and Dean wasn't about to tolerate any of Sam’s reality checks, not right now.  
Sam’s next message came in a matter of seconds after Dean had pressed send on his own ‘Dude no one’s seen you in days’  
It was true he hadn’t been out in a while. ‘What can I say? Really enjoying the peace and quiet’ he wrote back.  
‘Everyone’s asking after you, what shall I tell them?’  
‘Tell them I’m working’  
There was a pause, before Sam’s next message ‘Shall I come up?’  
‘If you want. I can clear space for another cot in the lodge’  
‘Not what I meant. You know I won’t get time like this with Ruby once dad comes back. (Yeah for reasons, Dean scoffed) Come to the Roadhouse, I’m buying’  
‘Maybe later’  
~~~  
Sam tucked away his phone feeling disappointed. He’d felt all kinds of edgy recently and had kind of hoped Dean’s familiar scent would help calm his nerves. It was such a wolf need and it was bone deep despite all logic telling him it was stupid, Dean being here wouldn’t help other than comfort. He needed to figure out what was setting him off, solve this like a rationally thinking individual without reaching out for reassurance every five minutes. Instinctively Sam kept scanning the bar noting the different scents and features of the people around him. There was a lot of new folk in town. His human senses were poor compared to his wolf ones but even they were enough to alert him to something ‘other’ nearby in the crowd. That might have been a wolf thing too though, being off pack territory too long had every nerve blaring to beware, that danger lurked round every corner, that he should return to family, home and safety. He’d always thought of monsters as being tough, strong willed, wild creatures; reality was very, very disappointing.  
“Relax Sam; you’re starting to get me all jittery” Ruby whispered tugging his arm to get his concentration back to the confines of their booth where they were trying to enjoy lunch together.  
“Sorry” Sam said allowing himself to be drawn back “It’s just there’s a hell of a lot of new faces here lately”  
“It is tourist season and we are bang in the middle of bloody Bambi land”  
“Well yeah but, there seems to be more than usual wouldn’t you say?”  
“More than I’d bloody like that’s for sure” Ruby grumbled watching intently as Sam’s gaze was once again distracted by another passerby. This time it was a very smartly dressed oriental lady. She was as gorgeous as she was focussed on getting through the crowed to get to where she needed to be and luckily for Sam she was older so again Ruby let the minor distraction slide till she felt a cold chill buzz over her scalp and down her spine as the woman passed.  
“Did you feel that?” Sam gasped turning in wide eyed disbelief back to Ruby  
“Yeah maybe” Ruby exclaimed unsure of what exactly that was, by now the fine hairs on her arms and neck were standing on end, it would have felt spooky in any other situation but here in the middle of the afternoon in a crowded bar, well it was more likely to just be a draught. Ruby was more focused on the ladies attire, that kind of expensive formal wear didn’t happen in a redneck middle of nowhere joint like this.  
They both watched her as she took a seat at the bar like her heels, tight skirt and short stature weren’t ever going to be an issue tackling the tall shaky stools. She popped herself up with casual ease dropping her oversized handbag on the bar beside her to wait for attention.  
“Who is she?” Ruby frowned offended by the new comers familiarity.  
“Like I’d know” Sam said without looking away from the bar  
“You should go talk to her” Ruby whispered  
“And say what?”  
“I don’t know just find out why she’s here”  
“Too late Ellen’s already on the case” Sam said “She gets a kind of sharp look in her eye when she’s about to seriously grill someone”  
“Go listen in then” Ruby prompted  
“Um” Sam hesitated he was a little wary of that ‘sharp look’ and didn’t like being too close when Ellen was wearing it “Give me a minute”  
“Fine I’ll do it” Ruby said pushing passed Sam and strolling over to where Ellen and the new lady were talking. By the time she got there the two were strangely hitting it off and Ruby turned to give a shrug to Sam before propping her elbows casually on the bar and pretending to flick through her phone as she edged closer.  
Ellen was pointing out Jo and Ash busy bustling tables; she waved them over introducing the new lady to them as Linda. Ruby couldn’t make any sense of the conversation that followed. No one was paying her any mind so she none too subtlety lifted Linda’s bag while she was shaking hands with Ash and headed back over to her booth.  
“What the fuck?” Sam gasped letting Ruby in to hide behind his larger frame while she hurriedly got to work rummaging through the bags contents  
“You felt it too” Ruby snapped “something’s up”  
“Well yeah but you can’t just steal her bag” Sam flustered  
“Watch me” Ruby snapped elbow deep and pulling stuff out “It’s just some kid’s homework?” she said confused  
Sam took the papers from Ruby, they were stained and slightly crumpled, he smoothed them over glancing over the contents as he did “Not just any home work, this is like Steven Hawkins grade physics or something”  
“Ah! This is more like it” Ruby said finding a folder lower down. She pawed through the contents, a collection of clippings of ghost stories and horrific murders “What the hell?”  
“Ghost sightings, strange occurrences” Sam remarked watching as Ruby shuffled quickly through, recognizing a pattern “She’s linking strange occurrences to past events, probably to see whether or not they’re legit phenomena or coincidental urban legends” Sam explained remembering fondly the times he and Dean poured over this kind of stuff looking for cases for their dad to follow  
“And you know that because?”  
“Um I ah...” Sam stuttered his old hunter training screaming at him to tell no one of his past despite the fact that it was well and truly in the past. “Well that’s what it looks like; look here’s one on the Roadhouse”  
“What the hell interesting ever happened out here?”  
“I’m not sure interesting is the right term for this kind of shit”  
There was a commotion at the bar “My bag!” the lady, Linda, shouted  
“Let’s boogie” Ruby said getting up quick and pulling Sam with her leaving the bag with its contents strewn across the seat of the booth.  
~~~  
Dean never did make it to the Roadhouse that night. It had been too close to orgy time and the next couple of days had included longer sex sessions which, as well as the vigorous patrolling, had left him all kinds of beat.  
It couldn’t last forever, eventually the guests left.  
Dean was actually sad to see them go, well his favourite ones anyway. With his head and paws hanging dramatically off of the porch he watched the last of the cars pulling away leaving a bare dirt lot and empty house in their wake.  
Steve waved them off watching till the last car turned the bend and disappeared from sight before spinning round with an excited fist pump and taking the porch steps two at a time. “Finally!” he shouted into the empty cavernous house and Dean listened to the clatter and scrape of all hell going off behind him as Steve launched into a cleaning frenzy to end all cleaning frenzies.  
Hours later and Dean heaved a dramatic sigh, some people! For reasons beyond his understanding Steve was literally living the dream, he was surrounded by sex, accumulated money with sickening ease, made the scruffy hobo look seem like something worth aspiring to, answered to no one; yet the guy was only truly happy, and happy wasn't really the word for it, ecstatic was closer, the guy was positively ecstatic now that he was alone and up to his ears in self imposed stupid chores.  
The stink of bleach and artificially scented cleaners wafted out the house and past Dean’s nose, they did nothing to mask the lighter scents of utter contentment and pot. All in all it was a weird heady combination that drew Dean out of the fresh air and back indoors to watch the commotion.  
Inside Steve was furiously stripping everything; even the curtains weren’t being spared. Cupboards were emptied, doors, walls, bathrooms wiped down. Steve worked like a man possessed, well maybe a clown possessed would be a better description. Dean watched fascinated at how he juggled a joint and a cleaning cloth in wet marigolds crawling around on all fours scrubbing hard at the floor, his oversized top steadily rolling up with the motion engulfing his head and further hampering his efforts. Laughing at him didn’t make up for the fact that he’d let those hot girls go, the guy was still a junkless dick for that and Dean was still grieving his loss.  
“You’re sulking” Steve said suddenly looking up at the dog  
‘No shit Sherlock’ Dean thought bitterly with a whine  
“You like people watching huh?” Steve said adjusting his top back down and standing up on wobbly legs weary from crawling round too long “Well I promise the next lot are going to be far more entertaining” he said stretching himself out.  
Dean’s ears perked much to Steve’s amusement  
“Those guys, they were just beginners; these ones are regulars and well, you’ll see! But until then you’ve got to get up” Steve gasped struggling to pull the animal up by the neckerchief “Come for a jog, it’ll make you feel better”  
Dean pulled himself up and let Steve lead him out into the sunshine. The dude was right he should patrol or something, the lack of pack to protect didn’t mean he should slack on his responsibilities and if he found another ghoul well that would defiantly make him feel better.  
Steve set a slow pace which was fine too begin with but soon Dean was leaving him behind revelling in the speed and freedom that came with having supernatural powers.  
He felt bad about that later and after a long lonely patrol he jogged back through the house to make sure Steve had gotten back okay.  
Steve was just coming down the stairs, tightening his watchstrap in faded black jeans and clean white t, Dean practically jumped out of his skin in shock. The dude had even groomed his hair and shaved which was, well weird. He had an almost doll like quality to his features now without the perpetual peach fuzz to hide behind, his lips were unusually full for a guy, he looked, well, he looked pretty.  
Steve frowned at the Dog staring at him “Don’t you dare touch my washing” he mock warned “I’ve got to go get some more supplies. I’ll see you later”  
Dean watched him pick up a roll of money from a dresser draw beside the front door, casually leafing through it as if a few hundred might not be enough for teabags then snatch up his car keys to go.  
Dean was alone. Nothing new there he was always alone lately, he jogged back to his lodge to change shower and maybe relax now that his chores were done, but he was on edge. All senses were snapping to attention just waiting for something to happen, this feeling of dread was so out of context, or maybe he was in the wrong place. Picking up his pace he changed, pulled on an old shirt and jeans from the top of his neglected wash pile and grabbing his car keys he headed straight out; he needed to check on everyone, everyone he hadn’t seen for way too long.  
He drove down the old dirt track to where it connected to the main through road. He thought about doing a right and detouring up into the hills maybe see if he could spot his pack, make sure they were good before checking in on his friends when he saw her. Jo was standing on the side of the road in her usual spot out in the middle of nowhere.  
“Hey!” He called to her “Jo! Need a ride anywhere?”  
Jo looked up like she’d been caught doing something but her face fell into an easy smile when she saw Dean “Are you headed to the Roadhouse?” She asked  
“Yeah” Dean answered all thought of his detour through the hills gone “Hop in”  
“Thanks” Jo said climbing in the back seat which Dean thought was strange because there was no one else travelling with him today but maybe she just liked being in back.  
“What is it that you do out here anyway?” Dean asked as she was often out here, it was actually how they first met, he and Sam had been escaping the pack for a little free time and stumbled upon her walking alone, she introduced them to the Roadhouse a little slice of much needed human normality and the rest was history.  
“I just like walking I guess” Jo said  
“Really? Alone in the woods?”  
“Yeah sometimes I imagine I see wolves”  
“Uh-huh?” Dean laughed “You’ve got to be careful, there’s been hikers killed out here in the past”  
“I know” Jo said “It’s what lures us all out here isn’t it? The thrill of danger” and she looked at him like everything about him had been written on his face for the whole world to see, and it was only Jo but the atmosphere in the Impala was unmistakably cold. “What I don’t understand is why it all stopped? How you guys from out of nowhere just moved in to that big old abandoned house and never came to the same terrible end as the others”  
Dean coughed a bit, “Ah well we moved in with Kate’s family didn’t we and they’ve been living out here for years” he couldn’t tell her it was because the monsters just happened to turn hunters and fell under a whole new regime of strict morals. Probably couldn’t have shot themselves in the foot any worse if their grumbling was anything to go by.  
“Do you ever see wolves?” Jo asked from the back.  
“Me? No, never”  
“Oh”  
They were quiet after that and Dean was glad for it, they were too close to his territory for his comfort, he’d hate to see anything happen to Jo and well his pack, he didn’t necessarily trust them, he didn’t like to think about what he’d do if they hurt someone he knew like Jo... He shook his head, pushing that line of thought down completely. It didn’t matter, his pack weren’t like that anymore they’d all sworn to honour the new regime, there was no need to think about where his true loyalties really lay.  
“Here we are” Dean said finally pulling up into the dry dirt lot that was the roadhouse car park “Wonder if Ellen’s...” But Dean realised he was talking to himself, Jo had gone from the back seat. He looked around the car park for out of habit but it had become a bit of a joke how quickly she’d fly off after a ride home never saying thank you or goodbye. Still he’d been alone this time with no Sam to distract him and she’d still somehow managed to pull that trick on him. He sat confused for a moment before remembering it had been a really long time since he’d last had a beer and ventured in himself.  
Ellen was behind the bar looking none too pleased to see him “Dean, a word?” She said and Dean just knew there’d been trouble.  
“What’s happened?” he asked  
“I hate to bring this up” Ellen said looking pained “Ruby..”  
“She’s a bitch yeah I get that”  
“Well she’s leading Sam astray at least that’s what I hope is happening I mean I like you boys but she and Sam stole a handbag the other day”  
“What? Sam wouldn’t”  
“Yeah I want to believe it was all her but well he scarpered at the same time she did so the suspicion lies on both of them”  
“Is anyone pushing charges?”  
“No, it was my friend Linda, she’s new in town and didn’t want to cause a fuss as she got it back. I thought you could talk to him”  
“Yeah of course, is he here now?”  
“Yeah over in that booth actually”  
“Okay” Dean squared his shoulders and walked over to Sam’s booth taking a seat directly opposite his brother “Sam” He said solemnly trying but failing even now to believe Sam would do such a petty thing, “So how goes your life of crime?”  
“Huh?” Sam said looking up with his nerdish wrinkle on his brow from his assortment of papers laid out in front of him “I gave it back! Kind of, and it was Ruby’s idea!”  
“Guilty by association is still guilty Sam” and before Dean could lecture any more Sam already had his argument of defence laid out  
“But look at what we found!”  
Dean sighed it was no good he just couldn’t stay angry when the roll of contentment having his brother, his pack back beside him was pulling the corners of his mouth into an ever widening toothy grin “Come on surprise me what do women need to carry at all times that that won’t fit into a regular sized wallet?”  
Sam smiled back at him “Clippings!”  
“Clippings?”  
“News paper clippings” Sam said trying to stay serious while gesturing to all the different pages and copies he’d gathered  
“Oh wow now it all makes sense, the secrecy and your new life of crime”  
Sam made a point of ignoring Dean and continued on to make his case “Back when we were investigating the hiker killings we never looked at what else went on in this town. There was or is a proper ‘lady in white’ ghost” He said tugging some photo copies of old articles out and pushing them toward Dean “Here, some prom queen out on the road who will ask for a lift then disappear. The urban legend went that seeing her or offering her a ride foreshadowed your own death” Sam’s finger scrolled down the print to a witness interview “Just here see, the victims are always male usually young...”  
“Hate to break it to you Sam but we’re not hunters anymore”  
“But she is! Don’t you get it? She’s investigating these old stories, what if she decides she needs help and calls in others?”  
“Over one little ghost? Who hasn’t made any waves for...” Dean checked the dates on the stories and yep they hadn’t come across any of this because it was way before their time “quite a few years now?”  
“There’s more” Sam said “This bar is, or well, it was, a ghost tavern!” Sam shuffled through for the evidence he needed “The original burnt down some eighty years ago, yet there’s numerous stories about people driving through, stopping for food and drink, unaware of anything out of the ordinary till they try finding it again on another pass only to discover that there’s nothing but an abandoned plot where the bar should have been”  
“But we’re here now, so it’s real” Dean said tapping the table as proof  
“Is it?” Sam challenged “I can’t find any records of the Roadhouse being rebuilt Dean. And look, the stories stop; just stop forty years ago and that’s when people started moving back into the area including Kate’s pack, among other old families. Since then of course there’s been other murders and strange stuff going on including dads uh, little spree and stories about the ghost tavern seem to get forgotten”  
“Damn” Dean muttered looking at all the stack of stories related to the area Sam had gathered  
“Yeah there’s a lot I know, but she mostly seems interested in the lady in white ghost, for now at least so let’s focus on that”  
“Okay, so who is ‘she’?”  
“Her names Linda Tran and she’s over at the bar now talking to Jo”  
Dean looked round “She don’t look too fierce” he said “And she doesn’t look anything like a hunter she’s wearing heels for starters”  
“Rule one of hunting, never underestimate your enemy! Plus you’ve never seen her pissed! I was going to return the purse till I saw her face and yeah, okay I left I’m not too proud of that, but if you’d have seen her I’m sure you’d have done the same”  
“Okay, strange idea time” Dean said getting serious “We deal with the lady in white ghost, if it even still exists, then she doesn’t need to be here and goes home, problem solved?”  
“If it still exists” Sam muttered “Maybe she’s looking for the hunter that solved these?”  
They both looked at the stack of cases “Maybe they’re local to the area?” Sam said “They’d kinda have to be right?”  
“Living right under our nose?” Dean said wishing he could call Bobby and get the answers they needed “We’d have to hunt them down ourselves, but what do we do when we find them?”  
“We’ll decide that when we find them, they might already be long gone, these are old cases after all and we’ve had no reason up until now to suspect that a hunter might be in living in the area. I mean it was us that came out to investigate dad that time wasn't it”  
“Yeah” Dean agreed feeling safer “That’s true”  
Sam smiled shamelessly wide “You and me, hunters again, you know sort of. Hunting hunters”  
Dean smiled back those were good days, not perfect but he remembered those years fondly, they were like super hero’s secretly saving everyone as oppose to just their own hides “Yeah” he agreed enjoying Sam’s enthusiasm “But first I could really do with a beer and a burger”  
~~~

Some beers, some food and some more beers later and they were still reminiscing their hunting years, mostly their hilariously amateur failings but whatever, when Steve walked in. He waved politely to Sam but gave Dean a suspicious squint and headed pointedly away toward the bar.  
“What the hell’s that about?” Dean said a little louder and worse for wear for drink than he’d intended to. Sure he didn’t expect the petting and cooing he got when he was in wolf form but that was cold, unnecessarily cold.  
“Obviously hasn’t forgiven you for walking in on his thing”  
“That was ages ago, talk about hold a grudge”  
“Anyway” Sam said leaning closer conspiratorially (or like Ruby would, Dean thought) “I also found some stuff on him”  
“Yeah” Dean said, preparing to keep his reaction guarded “like what?”  
“It’s funny actually, at first there was nothing, no adverts or anything about what he does so I looked up more vague stuff like spiritual healing and found a picture. It was definitely him, posing at some rich playboy mansion not too far from here where he did some sort of feng shui stuff, well anyway there was a large cash reward for information on his where a bouts. It didn’t say why, but it was linked to other wanted and missing persons adds, they all called him different things like Dmitri or Emmanuelle but the picture was always the same and they were all offering large, and I mean stupidly large cash rewards, strange huh?”  
“Yeah weird” Dean agreed relieved that that was all Sam had found  
“But looking at him now he does sort of attract attention doesn’t he?”  
Dean glanced over, he had Steve in his field of vision and was well aware the dude was eating a burger with all the trimmings, but now he saw how it wasn't only him keeping Steve in his sights, others were too and not being too subtle about it either. “That aint right” he commented and he could feel his hackles rise. “Who are all these people anyway?”  
“Tourist season, this is this year’s offering of green go getters”  
“There’s a lot of people here” Dean observed suddenly noting haw unusually crowded the bar really was.  
“Yeah I thought that” Sam agreed  
They both sat and watched the crowd. Steve was stuffing fries into his mouth like they were going out of fashion.  
“For a health freak he sure does pack away the carbs” Sam said “Is it just me or are those guys edging closer to him?”  
“What guys?” Dean said looking further around the room than he had been.  
“There” Sam motioned toward the far exit, the one opposite the car park that no one really used. They were playing pool on the table in the corner but now they’ve switched to the table nearest despite the crowd. It’s an odd move changing tables like that. Maybe they’re clients?”  
“No, he’s just got rid of those and his new lot aren’t due till day after tomorrow”  
“And you know that because?”  
“I’m keeping an eye on things” Dean said bluntly “I’ve actually been picking up some weird scents too, ghoul maybe, so I really have been keeping a close eye on things”  
“You should have said, I’d have helped!” Both their attention turned back toward the door in time to see Meg stroll in. She wasted no time scanning the room and marching straight over to take a seat beside Steve. Steve greeted her warmly and after a little friendly banter an envelope exchanges hands between them.  
Dean cleared his throat awkwardly “So Meg deals and it’s nasty shit that I seriously wouldn’t recommend to any worst enemy” he said pointedly watching Sam’s reaction like a hawk  
“Ah yeah” Sam said “Ruby has nothing to do with that just so you know”  
“Good” Dean said with a glare  
Meg’s shrill laugh cut through the back ground noise dragging their attention back to the bar where she was chatting amiably. She mussed Steve’s carefully manicured hair for him and picked food from his plate making herself cosy. Dean hated her a little more than he did a moment ago, though she was right about the hair it looked better that way.  
“Dude what’s up?” Sam asked concerned  
There was just no way of telling Sam without telling him everything. Dean just couldn’t say that he really didn’t want Meg going back with Steve, the horror of possibly seeing her all kinds of naked in various positions as she would no doubt be getting involved with everything Dean had come to love.“Nothing”  
“Dude your growling” Sam whispered  
“Am not” Dean said sipping his beer making a concentrated effort to stay quiet and still.  
As Dean contemplated various ways to secretly dispatch Meg it became increasingly obvious that she was providing all the conversation with Steve while he was just offering the barest of nods in reply. Dean relaxed, his first few tentative steps into voyeurism was safe, and well of course it was what the hell would these two even have in common? Steve with his rich city friends and her the local skank... but the conversation continued Steve nodding politely, Meg rambling on using her hands more and more... And now Dean’s concern went the other way what did anyone have in common with this dude who could fake interest for, Dean checked his watch, twenty minutes. Now that was some kind of professional politeness all while chewing a third burger, which damn Ellen’s food was good but that was a lot of food, this guy was becoming ever more fascinating.  
Sam had fallen silent, content just to go through his research while Dean was so engrossed with watching the room, he’d already gotten used to the strangeness of this year’s crowd, kinda been there and done that already, it was nice that Dean was just as unsettled by it all. He glanced up and spotted Benny over his brother’s shoulder making his way over to them.  
“ugh” Sam groaned gathering up his papers, he hated Dean’s friends they all smelt off but Benny in particular bothered him, the guy was creepy, on a bloodcurdling level.  
Benny met Sam’s eye’s and smiled like the feeling wasn't mutual, but then he followed Dean’s line of vision, spotted Steve and Meg; and Sam could have sworn his smile became boarder, predatory even. Benny kept walking, Sam was relieved they’d been spared his company but was instantly suspicious; nothing came between Benny and Dean, nothing! It was the bromance that Dean had always wanted with someone, shoulda been Sam or pack but no one got, or had the time for Dean like Benny apparently did. But that hadn’t been the case lately; lately Dean had been holed up away from civilisation, and now this...  
“Have you spoken to Benny lately?”  
“No, why?”  
“I think he might be pissed, he looks creepier than usual” Sam waited for the berating, and sure his friends weren’t perfect but they didn’t have to hide behind shades all winter to keep from scaring Ellen’s trade off with their dead eyed stare. The berating never came, Dean wasn't rising to it, instead he was looking a bit pale and maybe constipated “Are you feeling okay?” Sam asked concerned.  
Dean didn’t answer his focus was purely on Benny right now; Benny his best friend who he suspected of being a threat all of a sudden. Benny who pulled a seat right up close to Steve, Steve who leaned away but only found himself more in Meg’s territory, she grinned as he flinched after making contact with her arm. He was trapped and she was finding this amusing.  
Dean strained to hear across the crowd calling on as much of his supernatural powers as he could without initiating a change  
“Steve right?” Benny said leaning in closer still “How’s it going brother?”  
“I’m not you brother” Steve responded  
“Aw don’t be like that” Benny crooned “I’m only curious as to what exactly it is that you are”  
“What I am? I don’t think I understand”  
Meg chuckled  
“What are you?” Benny reiterated  
“I uh, teach mindfulness, it’s, it’s a mixture of many techniques aimed to..”  
“I’m not talking about what it is that you do, I’m asking what are you?”  
Dean knew Steve had some tricks of his own, but Benny was a broad strong guy, he looked like he could fight for days. Steve looked like he could run for days but given that he’d just eaten a heck of a lot ...  
“Where are you going?” Sam said snatching at Dean’s sleeve as Dean seemed to be deserting him.  
“Stay here and watch my back!”  
Sam flinched and even Dean felt it, the beginnings of his alpha voice, a deeper base growl to his usual tone, he was over reacting and he didn’t even know why really. Steve wasn't pack, wasn't even werewolf, yet Dean couldn’t ignore this need to protect.  
Sam looked like he’d just been slapped  
“Shit I really am batman” Dean laughed trying to ease the tense look of astonishment on Sam’s face.  
“When did that start?” Sam asked quietly, submissively.  
“Now, literally” Dean said in quieter, calmer tones “Look I gotta do this”  
“Sure, okay, I’ve got you” Sam agreed sitting back ready to fly into action if needed  
Dean strode across the room, reached into the nonexistent space between Steve and Meg to grab Steve’s upper arm “A word if you don’t mind” he said tugging him out from between his two assailants  
Steve stumbled backwards off his bar stool wide eyed with shock that another person was now accosting him. Dean held him steady pausing only to let him find his feet before pulling him toward the door. Steve dug his heals in as soon as his feet hit the ground.  
“Wait I haven’t paid!”  
Dean stopped and let him pull out a few bills.  
Steve stepped back to put them on the bar. He stood stock still after, cautiously watching the three way standoff that he seemed somehow to be in the middle of.  
“I wouldn’t” Dean said feeling the rise in static coming off of Steve. He gestured to a camera behind the bar. Steve followed his eyes to the device, the crowed watching in the mirror behind and Ellen arms folded and face glowering.  
“Anything going on here I should know about?” Ellen asked  
Steve stopped immediately as Ellen fixed him with her most shrewd look  
Meg’s head cocked curiously at that, her calm posture and ‘cat that got the cream’ smile making her look more dangerous than her five-three frame belied  
“No mam” Dean replied for all of them  
Ellen didn’t look convinced but her presents had defused the intensity of the situation, she pretended to busy herself nearby.  
“Dean’o” Meg purred “long time no see”  
“You been avoiding us brother?”  
“Been busy” Dean smiled standing purposely to his full height at the same time as Benny. “We’ll have to catch up later” he said casually but he could feel his blood pumping adrenaline a mile a minute through his veins.  
Benny’s expression was unreadable and for a long moment Dean didn’t know what he would do.  
Benny huffed out a long breath out and slouched down onto Steve’s vacated seat “Is that a promise?” He said carefully “Don’t want you standing me up now”  
Dean stepped closer reaching out to Benny’s shoulder and patting him firmly “Course man”  
Benny relaxed and smiled easy “Good just make sure that you do”  
With the immediate threat feeling avoided Dean pulled Steve again toward the door fully aware of the room full of eyes that were still on their backs, he didn’t need this attention and the pack would be pissed if they ever got wind of it.  
“What do think you’re doing” Steve snapped once they were out  
“I’m doing you a favour buddy. Don’t you see the attention you’re attracting in there?”  
Steve stayed silent watching Dean suspiciously and considering the amount of time they had spent together that look hurt. Dean suddenly wanted the guy to trust him like he did when he was lupine “Look” Dean tried “I was...”  
“Watching me?”  
“Well, yeah. I don’t trust Meg and I just know Benny was going to ask some personal shit, he’s been asking about you ever since you started here”  
“You were listening in too?”  
“Look buddy some thanks would be nice I just got you out of a hairy situation there”  
“Did you?”  
“Oh come on man no one’s that oblivious” Dean snapped getting irritated  
“I can look after myself thanks” Steve said pushing passed Dean toward his dusty station wagon.  
“Not in front of a whole bar full of people you can’t!” Dean snapped “You’ve already got people here asking what you are and a whole lot more looking for you offering large cash rewards for any info”  
Steve stopped in his tracks. Dean felt the tingle of static, saw the beginnings of flames lick around him but it was weak.  
“You’re jean’s, they’re too tight”  
Steve looked shocked “What?”  
“You’re little magic tricks not working because of the jeans they’re keeping you flaccid”  
Steve stalked back to him speaking quietly “You don’t know anything!”  
“I know it’s got to be lonely, always running”  
“You don’t know anything!” Steve snapped pushing at Dean’s chest defiantly “Stay away from me!” and his eyes burned with fury, he meant every word “If I see you again I’ll have serious words with Sam”  
“Go ahead my kid brother’s still inside watching our back encase anyone follows, and believe me the way some of those folks were leering at you I wouldn’t put it passed them”  
Steve stood stiff and twitchy anger boiling under his skin “Kid brother?”  
Dean had to suppress a smile, the little shit thought he had something there “Yeah. He’s taller not older, I’m in charge”  
Steve turned tail marching back to his car “Stay away from me!”  
Dean was glad to see him go, he hoped he felt threatened enough to lay low for a while, maybe stay out of town completely kind of low. He wasn't even near careful enough, he’d needed telling but damn Dean felt bad having to be the one to do it. He supposed picking a fight with a wellness nerd was probably going to make you feel bad, karma and all that. He thought about going back inside and at least making peace with Benny and Ellen when Sam came running out phone held to his ear  
“Dean it’s dad, he’s caught the scent of another wolf!”  
Suddenly Dean had more important work to do, a territory to protect.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> again it's rushed!! Be warned!!

Dean drove passed the house thirty minutes after Steve. He drove casually by observing the wagon alone in the drive, the shut doors, the re-hung closed curtains and bolted windows... A barricade if ever he saw one. He drove passed up to his horribly stuffy lodge wishing he could get rid of at least a few of the boxes and make some room for himself there.  
Later he strolled by in wolf form. Everything was still barricaded up and Steve was nowhere to be seen. There was nothing on his patrol. He went home and fell asleep watching a movie.  
The next day was much the same and Dean huffed his displeasure as he passed the closed up house again. He traced the woodland trails all day not concentrating at all on what he was doing. That evening he sat down to watch star wars but again wasn’t feeling it. His back was cramped and the TV too close and small. He went out to patrol again and this time couldn’t miss the new alien scents, they weren’t werewolf, they were vaguely familiar human. He followed them as they led closer to the house, heard the familiar clicks of guns being locked and tasted the bitter tang of powder in the air. He edged forward more cautiously, till the intruders were in sight. They were the same guys Sam had pointed out switching tables to watch Steve and Meg that night.  
Up ahead they finished up checking their weapons and whispered amongst themselves. Dean heard how they were planning to spit up and surround the house, not the most original of plans but it worked for him, now he could take them down one by one. He followed at a safe distance the smell of Ellen’s bar food and deodorant making it impossible to lose them. Then, when there was a suitable distance between the groups, he started picking them off. The first went down easy, a quick pounce and a muffled thump and he was out for the count. Dean took his gun stashing it in some thicket on his way to the next. “Reggie?” A voice up ahead called low and harsh and Dean realised that the next guy was closer than he’d thought, close enough to hear the scuffle. “Reggie!” he called again, he was coming back this way, he rounded the corner and stopped dead when he saw the wolf waiting for him there. Dean ran at him taking him down before he could aim his shot, the sawn off fired up into the trees, the guys head connected with the ground with a thud cutting his scream off short. Dean didn’t have time to check him the others were now alerted to the danger and he could hear them rallying blindly in the dark.   
Flash lights switched on lighting up the forest with painfully bright beams. Dean retreated away up the track a little. Behind him foreign voices confirmed that the intruders were setting about hunting this unexpected threat down. He’d lost the element of surprise but still had a few tricks up his sleeve he knew these paths like the back of his hand and circled round to attack from a different angle.  
“Tim, Tim! What happened?”  
Dean heard their voices as they found their friend.  
“Shit he’s bad! We gotta get him back”  
“We gotta find who did this!”  
“What about our pay load? Without that, that, thing at the house we have nothing”  
“Screw that, this is serious Tim needs help and where’s Reg?”   
“We gotta find who messin with us!”   
“After we get him to a hospital!”  
“You take him then”  
“What about Reg?”   
Dean listened to the indecision letting what compassion he heard there reign in his aggression. Sure he could off the lot of them and no one would ever find their remains but he didn’t want to be that monster. It was hard not too though they were weak puny little humans intruding onto pack land with weapons! He felt his body shift as his anger swelled, grow into the were-beast of legend. Humanoid torso, tortured wolf face and painfully elongated hands and feet ending in hideously long black claws. A full moon crept out from behind the dark clouds, Dean hadn’t been paying attention to the lunar cycle hadn’t realised a full moon had been due so soon. He pulled himself to stand upright and with long strides stepped out of the safety of the shadows into the soft blue light with a wild blood curdling roar.  
Six men stood dumfounded staring wide eyed at the night mare beast before them.  
It charged howling with fury batting away their guns and flash lights plunging them all into darkness.  
Madness ensued and when Dean came back to his senses he was chasing someone through the forest. He was stumbling through a sea of red, crashing through trees rather than following the trail, his ankle was pained and uncertain beneath him.   
So he’d suffered damage, he wasn't surprised the beast was a terrible fighter when left to its own devises, all brawn and no brain. He was lucky it took silver to really hurt him, he wouldn’t be still kicking, chasing these goons off right now if they had of known to come prepared.  
Up a head waves of pure terror flooded off from his quarry, stinging Dean’s tongue with its foul taste. He smacked his lips glad that that was all he could taste and not blood, that didn’t help explain what had happened to the other men though.  
The trail circled lazily round, Dean heard the roar of an engine up ahead, they were nearing the road. He recognized where they were and realised they’d been running a while now, his quarry was obviously a talented runner to have lasted this far. The guy sped up at the sound of the engine a fresh wave of hope and adrenaline spurring him on.   
Dean pulled himself to stop letting him get away and listened to the sounds of feet scrambling against metal, a van maybe, with people waiting gunning the engine impatiently.   
“What about Reggie?” One said and there was a pause.   
Dean felt a sharp cut of pain across his shoulder before he heard a deafening bang from behind. He slowly turned to see who he presumed was Reggie standing there shaking with fear, a sawn off in his hands, the faint trail of smoke from its barrel telling Dean what exactly the pain flaring through his shoulder was.  
Reggie swallowed hard, aimed again and Dean ducked into the foliage out of sight.  
“Reg! Quick man this way!” His companions called from the getaway vehicle, Reggie stared at the place the beast had vanished into, wide eyed with fear, his trembling hands wouldn’t release the gun held tight between them trained on the spot he knew his worst fear lay hiding.   
“Reggie! Come on man!” His friend shouted back tracking and dragging Reggie away with them. The doors to the van slammed and wheels spun on loose dirt as the vehicle speed off.  
Dean slouched against a tree. He’d lost it, become the monster, he felt inept and useless. He’d truly believed he was better, stronger than that. His shoulder hurt like a bitch but he’d be fine, eventually. It was his mind he worried about now, letting go, losing himself to the red haze had been too easy. What if...   
He dug out the bullet with a long claw and rolled his shoulder blade round, the pain distracted his dark thoughts. He’d be stiff for a while till it healed which meant hunting those ass holes down and chasing them out of town would be impossible tonight. Maybe that was a good thing, maybe he should wait till the pull of the moon had less affect on him. Losing control like that again just might get him ended, attract hunters and get the whole pack ended. Concentrating on staying calm and in control was enough to deal with right now. He turned and slowly made his way back to the safety of his lodge.  
~~~

When he passed the house on his way back Dean walked up onto the porch to sniff round. His legs were tired and heavy, his ankle throbbed and his mind struggled to focus on anything beyond the anger of being intruded on by such weak vermin, but he needed to know that none of the intruders had made it this far. He was panting hard and it was difficult to scent the air, he crouched down to catch his breath pressing his face against the white wood rails willing his breaths to slow, to calm down. The porch wood creaked under his weight, there were no lights on inside the house but still it smelt like home, felt like safety. He took a long deep breath and found no trace of foreign scents; a tension he was holding dissipated with the relief of that, his home was safe he’d succeeded in keeping his home safe.  
The door creaked open, a small noise that he’d have missed a moment a go, he looked over to see Steve peeking cautiously out. He was armed with a frying pan and squinting hard into the darkness trying to make out what or who was crouched in the dark.  
Steve looked scared “Jerk?” He said trying to get a better look “Jerk is that you?” It was hard to tell through the thick clouds of hot breath steaming off the figure in the darkness, it did look like a figure more like a tall broad man than any dog but unless that man ate the same piss poor diet Jerk did, and Jerks breath always smelt of burger and beer with a touch of pickle chip now and then, he really needed to consult someone on the feeding animal but right now unless this shadowy figure had the same thick breath, then surely that had to be Jerk. He reached out blindly.  
Dean guessed Steve had heard the gun shots and while he still had the advantage of darkness shifted, relaxing his body further into lupine form just in time for Steve’s hand to make contact and cling to him like a safe haven.  
Together they scanned the darkness for danger beyond the safety of the porch rails. Dean knew there was nothing out there but was happy to humour Steve till could feel the tremble in his body where it pressed against him ease. The peaceful silence dragged on.  
“What have you been up to out there?” Steve whispered and his stroking stopped as his fingers found moisture in Jerks fur. He pulled his hand back and saw his fingers were stained dark. “Is that blood? Did someone shoot you?” Steve said examining the dog harder. He stroked through the fur again and was glad to find only a nasty looking cut “Oh good” He exhaled, “hate to think what a vet bill for a horse would be like. Come on boy let’s get you cleaned up” He said making his way back to the door staying as low as he could as he did  
Dean watched him go too tired to follow. Now that he was down all the running had caught up with him.   
Steve turned on the hall light looking disappointed “Come on boy!” He whispered brightly “Come on then!”  
Dean got up just to stop him talking to him like a, well dog. His ankle flared with pain making him whimper, he’d been running on that not long ago. Now on three legs he held it aloft and hopped inside.  
Steve pushed him through to the kitchen and set to work examining what he could. He cleaned the wound and wrapped the paw, it was all pretty pointless Dean would be better by morning but Dean could feel that the distraction was having a soothing effect so let him carry on. Afterward they watched for danger from the safety of a bedroom, by the time the sun started to show they’d fallen asleep like that.  
~~~  
Daylight brought with it some courage and Steve went jogging with a slow Jerk to look answers to last night’s troubles. The wound on Jerks shoulder still looked bad but not nearly as ugly as he’d remembered it and the dog was insistent on coming so he let it limp along side him. He found nothing, well he had no idea what he was doing so wasn’t overly surprised but he felt better having looked. Next he swallowed his pride and went down to the little lodge to ask Dean, or Sam hopefully it would be Sam, if they knew anything about the incident.   
The lodge was empty, Steve peered through the windows and saw the boxes stacked and wondered how anybody was living in amongst all that. He didn’t know anything about Sam or Dean and Dean somehow knew too much about him. He wondered why he hadn’t acted on it, wondered what was in all those boxes, wanted some dirt to hold over them encase he needed to in future. He walked round to the back and tried the door, Jerk growled.  
“Relax” Steve said pulling out his car keys where he kept a Swiss Armey knife with some unusual attachments. He set to work on the lock.  
Dean remembered fitting that door, the lock was the best a paranoid bastard could fit. All the locks were.... The door creaked open within seconds of Steve’s poking, Dean barked.  
“Shh!, stop it!” Steve whispered “if there was ever just one time that you could just be a good bloody dog now would be great”   
Dean growled. Steve glared but ducked inside anyway “Fuck me!”  
Dean followed, Steve had found the gun collection.  
“Okay, okay, it’s just empty rounds and tranqs” Steve said calming down and inspecting things further “I’m not necessarily living next door to redneck serial killers in the middle of nowhere” He picked up some heavy chains they used during full moon, saw how they were bolted to the floors and walls. On closer inspection behind and under the boxes were claw marks slashed deep into every surface “Or am I?”  
Dean laughed under his breath that would teach the nosy fucker.  
Shaken Steve started digging through the boxes, clothes, dvds... he pulled out John’s journal. Dean started growling again, Steve looked nervously round and tucked the journal under his top “okay okay I'm going!”  
Dean didn’t know what to do about the journal so followed. Steve popped it on the work top when he got back to the house and disappeared up stairs, Dean picked it up, he heard an engine outside, stashed the book under the nearest couch and went to check who was pulling up. Steve jogged down beside him pale with apprehension. The car was a black GMC with even blacker windows. Steve’s hand found Dean’s shoulder as they stepped out onto the porch. He’d forgotten about the wound or lack of, Instead he held his breath gripping the dog too tight as the car door opened... he relaxed instantly when he recognised the occupant.   
“Balthazar!” Steve breathed easy “You’re early”  
“Jimmy! Long time no see, you’re looking pale! Even by my English bloody standards my friend! And fuck me is that a fucking bear?” Balthazar backed back into his car  
“My dog!” Steve/ Jimmy said smiling, “Well he comes with the house but mine while I’m here” He said ruffling the fur along Jerk’s back trying to get it to lay flat to make him look less threatening. “Big huh? I think he’s a wolfhound”  
“Wolfhound? That?”  
“There big and wolfish aren’t they?”  
“Darling, Sherlock’s problematic ‘hound of the Baskervilles’ was probably smaller than that thing you’ve got there” Balthazar shut up as the base from the beasts growl resonated through his bones “I think I’d much prefer it if you stepped away from the monster now Jimmy, I don’t think it’s safe”  
“He’s fine he’s just upset, we had a disturbance in the night and it freaked us both out a bit”  
“Listen to yourself, you’ve turned into a typically deluded wild dog owner, next it will be ‘he’s never done that before, you must have worn the wrong sweater to upset it ’ as it holds someone’s ripped off limb in its mouth”  
Jimmy chuckled “It’s not like that!” but he knew it sort of was. Jerk’s fur was not going to lay flat and he remembered when he’d first encountered these dogs “Go find somewhere to nap” He said pushing the dog off “I’ve got work to do, go on”  
Balthazar watched the animal stalk away before tip toeing out from the safety of his car and up to the house “Now come on Jim tell me what’s been going on, what have I missed?”  
Jimmy told Balthazar about the gun shots in the night and the wound to the dogs shoulder.  
“Sounds to me like amateur hunters. Amateur because no one worth their salt could possibly miss a target that big and hunters because they had rifles, rifles are for rabbits! No need to reload. You’d pack an automatic if you knew you were up against dogzillar there”  
Jimmy glared at him and Balthazar knew joking about the dog or the shooting was going to be off limits for a while yet  
“But I do think you should inform the local sheriff. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to use fire arms so close to someone’s property, even out here in the middle of redneck ville USA”   
“Sam and Dean, the owners of this property, are gun enthusiasts, what if it was just them?”   
“Would you have felt any safer last night knowing that it was just them? They hit their own bloody hound if it was, phone the sheriff Jimmy! Or I will”  
It turned out Sheriff Mill’s was all too eager to help investigate the shooting, calling together a whole team to come search the grounds and make sure the property was safe.  
~~~  
Dean had gone straight back to the lodge and called Sam, telling him all about what had happened. Now his wounds were near healed and it was time to chase those douches up   
“They must be bounty hunters after the reward money for info on Steve” Sam said logically  
“The money was just for information leading to him, they had guns, loaded gun’s these guys were serious” Dean growled still struggling with his anger “I’m coming to get you, we need to fix this”  
“yeah yeah of course, I’ll be ready”  
Sam wasn't ready and Dean waited over ten minutes gunning the engine while Ruby finished up saying good bye and let him go.  
~~~  
They pulled up outside the only hospital in the area. It was small and quite basic so it would have been impossible to miss the commotion going on inside. All the staff were trying to calm a frantic man down. Dean immediately recognized him as Reggie, it’s hard to forget a face after they’ve taken a shot at you.  
“What I saw was a werewolf! A real honest to god werewolf! It walked on two legs and was covered in like hair like big foot, no it wasn’t big foot! It was defiantly a werewolf listen to me!” He shouted hysterically  
Sam looked at Dean who looked back at him, this was bad.   
“You didn’t?”   
“I didn’t want to” Dean grumbled “But it sort of happened”  
“He’s delusional” A very put upon looking nurse said “Tranquilise him before someone gets hurt”  
“How many are we talking about?” Sam asked   
“Six in all” Dean sighed “But two were hurt, I think”  
“You Think?”  
“Full moon”  
“We’ve practiced for this!”  
“Yeah well apparently not enough”   
“Right, I’ll help deal with this one, you search for any others”  
They spit up. Sam helping the nurses and Dean slipping off down a corridor. It didn’t take long for Dean to pick up the other guy’s scent. Tim was in a bed still unconscious. Dean read through his notes, head wound and cerebral contusion, they needed the swelling to go down before they could tell how bad it was, he was going to be stuck there a while. Dean hoped he was covered. There was no one else so Dean went back to find Sam standing over a much calmer Reggie.  
“Thank you!” The nurses were practically drooling and Sam was shamelessly lapping it up.  
“What did you do?” Dean asked as Sam stepped away to let the staff do their thing  
“Slipped him one of Meg’s pills” Sam whispered “He’s as high as a kite already, there’s no way anyone will believe him now. So what did you find?”  
“One more, he hit his head pretty bad, he’s unconscious. There’s an empty office too”  
“Great I’ll find out what they know, keep a lookout”  
“Sure”  
Sam went to work, neither of the patients had previous files just samples from when they’d arrived which was hours ago. Sam found and contaminated anything relating to them both. Meanwhile Dean was busy with a guy who was way too interested in him and what had been going on.  
“Aaron, Aaron Bass” He said shaking Dean’s hand vigorously and holding it way too long to be normal “And you’re visiting who here?”  
“Did I say that?” Dean growled “I might just like nurses”  
“Enough to hang out at a hospital all day? I think you might make a better story than this werewolf guy, everyone like a good looking fetish freak”  
“Excuse me?”  
“Oh I work for a small, really small magazine, I actually specialise in weird stories”  
Dean looked harder at the man, his eyes landing on what looked like the corner of the national enquirer poking out a little from his brief case, and well shit. “Werewolf guy is high, this is a small close knit town and I happen to hate seeing our hard working nurses getting hurt dealing with dirt bags like that”  
“yeah nice work there Dean” Nurse Bella quipped over hearing him “nice of you to watch while your brother actually helped out!”  
“Is he high?” Aaron asked her “The werewolf guy over there?”  
“As a kite, don’t know how we missed it before now but this shit is way too common now a days. Guess he’s friends the same” Bella sighed like nothing could surprise her anymore.  
“See no story!” Dean said ushering Aaron toward the door “Guess you’ll have to go find something else to do, preferably somewhere else” He pushed Aaron roughly out into the parking lot for good measure  
Aaron stumbled righting himself “I don’t give up that easy!” He said retreating to his car  
Dean bit his tongue and let it go, glowering at the man till he pulled away.  
“All done” Sam said stepping up behind Dean  
“And if these two get out and are still talking?”  
“These pills there pretty powerful” Sam said confidently “They’ll believe they were tripping too”  
“And you know this because?”  
“I uh, look it was a onetime thing and It’s not like I went out and blew the cover on our family secret or nothing! Who’s your friend anyway?”  
“National enquirer”  
“Wow, that’s, that’s fast”  
“He hasn’t got anything he’s still fishing”  
“Right” Sam said thoughtfully “maybe we could get one of those cursed objects out of dad’s boxes stick him with a nasty case of bad luck”  
“Tempting but no, he’ll get bored and find something else just as quickly as he found this”  
“Okay, so what now?”  
“Now we better look into this lady in white thing, make sure Mr. Enquirer doesn’t make that his next story it’s still too close to home”  
“We’d better start searching this end of the road she haunts then and not look to suspicious doing it”  
“We don’t have time!” Dean said making his mind up on a radical new plan, “we’re going to confront this Linda Tran, ask her what’s going on tell her we’re hunters and to leave whatever it is to us to deal with, end of”  
Sam could see a few things wrong with this plan, the kind of things that had old hunter friends coming out here to find out if rumours of the lost Winchester’s were true, but he knew that stubborn look and couldn’t think of anything better right now so... “To the Roadhouse then?”  
“Yep, and just in time for lunch, how bout that?”  
“yeah, how bout that” Sam agreed thinking how a few beers right now might just actually help for once  
~~~

“Well I guess not everyone in this town has a drinking habit” Sam sighed after they had waited for hours with no sign of Linda   
“Everyone in this town has a drinking habit believe me” Dean said finishing another beer and signalling Ash for another  
“Dean you have a drinking habit!” Sam scolded “how many of those have you had?”  
“Not been counting”  
“Shouldn’t we check in on the house?” Sam asked concerned  
“I’ve already patrolled this morning and we’ve only been gone a few, a few more than a few hours, have another beer, I mean how often do we get to do this nowadays”  
“Sit and drink? We were doing it just the other day”  
“Yeah but don’t you miss it talking like this?”  
“No not really. Come on Dean we need to get something practical done today, let’s start searching that road at least”  
“I am being practical and doing stuff watch! Ellen! Ellen!”  
“Yeah other than drinking I mean! Stop Dean! She’ll be pissed if she sees you like this!”  
“What?”  
“Drunk”  
“Am not”  
“Look, I'm going to the bath room just sit tight and no more alcohol”  
“Yes mom” Dean said getting up and walking over to the bar muttering “Getting something done”  
Ellen clocked his overly casual approach “Dean, who’s your server and how many have you had son?”  
“That’s not what I came here for”  
Ash walked by with another bottle in his hand “Dean my man!” he said dropping it off  
“Cheers!” Dean smiled  
“Anytime!”  
Ellen frowned “Ash, figures” she took the bottle out of Dean’s hand and replaced it before he could grumble with a tap pint “It’s better for you hon” She smiled overly sweet “Now you were saying?”  
“Have you seen Linda Tran today?”   
“She’s around” Ellen said stepping back and folding her arms over her chest defensively.  
“What’s a ‘big city’ chick like her doing out here anyway? Is she single?” Dean smiled  
“We all got our reasons to be here Dean; and we both know you’re too plaid to ever be Linda’s type”  
“Yeah maybe” Dean said thoughtfully reconsidering his idea to interrogate Ellen even mildly  
Ellen just smiled “So what’s your real interest in Linda?”   
“I just think she may be bad news”  
“She’s a friend and she’s fine”  
“How well do you know her?”  
“How well do we know anyone?”  
“Not so well then”  
“Well enough are we going to go round forever or are you going to cut to the chase with this?”  
“Fine! I think she might well be a hunter”  
“In those bloody heels seriously?” Ellen laughed  
“Not a game hunter a” And Dean’s brain caught up with his mouth in time to shut up, Ellen wasn't bloody pack, despite the fact that she was more ‘den mother’ than any non were had any right to be.  
“A hunter hunter” Ellen finished for him looking deadly serious despite her still playful tone “I know what you mean, what exactly do you know about hunters son?”  
“Dean!” Sam said as he got back and saw the deadly look Ellen was fixing his brother with.  
“Dean was just telling me about hunters Sam, care to join?”  
The bar about them got real cold real quick and Sam felt he had no choice in the matter but to take a seat next to his brother “Uh yeah okay”  
“So you were saying you think my good friend is the ‘h’ word” She whispered “why?”  
Dean opened his mouth but Sam’s heel connecting with his shin stopped anything coming out. Sam was going to go with truth, he’d already decided. Ellen had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since the bag incident and he’d had enough already the Roadhouse was the only other place other than the library to hang out and he liked it here, really liked it here.  
“She had some articles in her bag. Research on ghost activity in the area and we know that’s what hunters do when they hunt something” Sam explained feeling pinned under Ellen’s glare and cold to his marrow. The feeling got worse.  
“And you know that because?”  
“We were hunters” Sam said, his voice rising involuntarily “Were! We’re not now and we really don’t want them here”   
“Can I believe you on that?”  
“Yeah you can” Dean said low and serious and thankfully sobered up  
Ellen looked at them long and steady “Why?”  
“Because we failed” Dean said looking down “And now we’re hiding”  
“Hmm, So what was she researching?”  
“A lady in white, ghoul activity in the next town over” Sam replied his mind really working now “Maybe a phantom bar”  
“And do you believe any of this?”  
“Well yeah” Sam said seriously “Stuff like this happens”  
“Does this bar look solid to you? That beer taste good?”  
“Yes?”  
“Good because it isn’t” Ellen sighed “Look I’m going to trust you with this before it goes any further. I died here over a hundred years ago, blew this place up with my daughters killers in it, but I guess I’m still pissed because I’m damned if I can move on”  
Sam and Dean exchanged glances  
“Do you want to?” Sam asked sincerely, looking a little sad, Ellen wasn't always a hard ass and when she wasn't she was the best ear around.... for non pack problems obviously “Is she here to help you do that?”  
“No! She’s here for my help!” Ellen said rolling her eyes “I’ve been here so long I’ve become the strongest most powerful entity in America, mostly because hunters have wiped out all the competition granted but I’m defiantly the most successful”  
“So you’re a sort of super spook” Dean asked his cocksure grin returning  
Ellen pressed her lips to a fine line, her expression serious “I help people who’ve passed on without, you know, passing on. I help them live in their monotonous afterlife”  
The boys both looked confused  
“Ghosts are trapped in some loop of despair, or hooked on revenge or whatever, but we don’t have to be! I help figure what’s keeping them here and how to get over it, to live as they once did, to carry on despite being dead. Take Jo for instance stuck in a constant loop of revenge waiting for her attackers to pick her up and do unspeakable things to her near every night despite the fact they were long dead”  
“Wait so Jo?” Dean said  
“Yeah long dead” Ellen sighed “I couldn’t save her in life but I saved her in death. I broke that loop so when she does go out and gets offered a lift home she just advertises the bar instead, we get less victims and more custom, she’s learnt to live with it, we both have. Linda’s son died earlier this year but he never passed on either. His head was too stuck on getting his grades and achieving his dream, he even possesses his school books bless him. Linda’s here to help him, he’s a strong kid I have every faith he’ll get powerful enough to overcome his death and maybe in time even get to be the first dead president of America”  
“That’s beautiful” Sam smiled  
“Yes” Ellen said smiling back  
“So is anyone else in here dead?” Sam asked   
“Well let’s see, Ash is a ghoul and a particularly violent one at that, but look at him now barely a shudder! Still a heck of a lot of mischief mind but we got the shuddering under wraps. Then there’s Haskel Crane, Kate Fox, Dexter O’Connell, Molly McNamara” Ellen effortlessly listed the names as she scanned the room “all dead and living with it. There’s even a few poltergeist, we’re still working on that, but their great at stacking furniture at the end of the night.   
“So that’s how you keep this place going” Sam said “We wondered how you drew so many customers even out of tourist season”  
“I don’t need to keep this place going Sam. The whole bar burnt down years ago, we’re sitting in a ghost house drinking ghost beer under ghost lights it’s amazingly cheap to run”  
“It’s all fake?”  
“Mostly not all” Ellen smiled “That beer taste good to you son?” Ellen asked poking Dean’s glass  
“Yeah” Dean said confused   
“I’ll admit I start serving the real thing, but after five drinks, well everyone gets ghost drinks after that. I hate a rowdy crowd, including you”  
“Ghost drinks?” Sam said  
“Ectoplasm” Ellen verified “Unless you’re really cute” she winked  
“So... I'm not really feeling the effects of this beer?” Dean frowned  
“No, but you want to, so you sort of fool yourself into thinking you do. Any t-total-er will tell you, you don’t need alcohol to enjoy yourself and their right, everyone keeps coming back”  
“The next bars over fifty miles away” Sam said encase Ellen had forgotten  
“Yeah there’s that too” Ellen agreed  
Dean frowned harder into his glass of ectoplasm swirling it round a bit as he contemplated the contents. He sipped at his drink again.  
Sam made a disgusted face but didn’t comment “So, have you noticed anything out, or further out of the ordinary lately?” he asked Ellen instead  
“Well no, not in the spiritual world, no”  
“Good” Sam said “Sorry to have bothered you about all this but I’m kinda glad we did, this is really cool what you’ve got going here”  
“Thanks” Ellen said “Now I wasn’t exactly telling you all this out of the goodness of my heart, you could help me, that guy your renting your property out to, he’s got magic I can feel it! If you could convince him to help us we could be so much stronger. What’s taken me years to establish here could be done in every state!”  
“Okay we’ll look into that” Dean said getting up hurriedly “Come on Sam we got to go just remembered that thing with the things”  
“Um yeah sure, sorry Ellen, we’ll ask him and thanks for the talk! Bye!”   
Sam caught up with Dean at the car “Dude what was that all about?”  
“What? Nothing”  
“That was seriously rude! We could ask for her”  
“Look I already told you Steve’s magic is like an illusion, how are you going to bring it up anyway? Hi we’ve got some dead friends we think you’d like to meet”  
“Well he’s met Ellen so it won’t be that dramatic but yeah”  
“We wouldn’t like someone marching in knowing we’re weres and telling us what we could do about it”  
“If it was for a good cause! It wouldn’t hurt him to think about it!”  
“Let’s just sort our own shit out first okay?” Dean said an letting his new found alpha growl add power to his tone  
“Yeah okay sure, we should concentrate on that” Sam agreed  
~~~  
Back at their house their shit had hit the fan, a police dog team was combing through the woods and Sheriff Mills was waiting at the house for them “Sam Dean finally!” She smiled “We were called out to investigate possible gun fire in the woods round your property thought it would be a perfect opportunity to let the whole dog unit out for a training session hope you don’t mind. They’ve been going crazy mind you. There seems to be a lot of scents setting them off, do you ever see any of the wild life round here? Any idea what it is that has them so spooked?”  
“No” They said in unison before Sam took over “We don’t see any wildlife, ever. This is a bit over kill isn’t it? I mean we shoot cans and stuff all the time out here”  
“We found blood on one of the trails and a loaded rifle left lying in a hedge. I’ve been informed your dog was hit? Didn’t even know you kept pets, would you mind if we got a vet to look at it? If we could confirm it was attacked with intent we may have more than just poachers here”   
Sam’s jaw just hung “we don’t actually have a dog, do we Dean?”  
“But Steve defiantly said the dog was hit when he called it in” Jody said confused  
“Who, was, hit?” Sam said looking at Dean   
“It’s actually a stray” Dean blurted “that I’m not meant to be feeding and it seldom comes over for days at a time if at all so...”  
“Oh well if you do see it bring it in, we can check it for rabies too” Jody said with a motherly put upon glower “Try and keep safe Dean”  
“Okay” Dean said sheepishly.  
“It’s a beautiful place you got up here, can’t believe there’s a corner of this place I’ve never been, well other then when those awful animal attacks happened, damn but there was blood and bone near everywhere back then, and just look at it now, it’s a real picture”  
“Thanks” Sam said tightly hoping they might wrap this up now.   
Jody must have felt his need “Well I’d better get back to it, I’ll see you around boys”  
“You got hit?” Sam spat the moment the Sheriff had gone “Where? How bad?”  
“Shoulder and not bad it’s just a little tight”  
“Did you bleed much? Tell me you didn’t bleed”  
“Shit” Dean muttered remembering how dark and messy it had all been “Look it’s not as if I don’t live here I am allowed to bleed on my own property”  
“Monster blood under a forensic microscope” Sam growled  
“Oh shit”  
“Yeah”  
Dean thought hard “Try and find out if they’ve found anything yet, I’ll take a walk down the road to where it happened shouldn’t be too hard to cover up”   
“Okay” Sam agreed marching away, he should have known that sorting their own shit meant Dean was sitting on more shit than he could imagine.

Over on the porch Jim and Balthazar watched the police in action while sipping green tea.  
“So that’s who you’re renting off” Balthazar smirked leering unashamedly.  
“Yep”  
“Very nice, will they be taking part in any of the action, later?”  
“Did you want them too?”  
Balthazar’s smile widened “This is going to be a truly exhausting week”  
“Excuse me?” Sheriff Mills “interrupted Steve isn’t it?  
“Steve?” Balthazar scoffed pretending to cough  
“Yes Steve” Jim confirmed smacking Balthazar lightly to shut up.  
“A word?”  
“Of course excuse us” He said leaving Balthazar to follow the sheriff.  
Jody walked them a little away from the house and any intrusion before beginning “I know you’re not Steve, I’ve actually seen you before, your Emmanuelle aren’t you? I actually went to one of your sessions years ago”  
“Uh that, that was a long time ago and a different uh, I don’t do that anymore”   
“I’m not calling you out” Jody quickly explained “It worked you helped me get over some severe depression, get my life back on track”  
“Well that’s good! I’m glad but I think that was more you than me, really”  
“No” Jody said resolute “believe me when I say something changed that day”  
Jim didn’t know what to say “I’m glad you’re better”  
“I, I have a niece who also, needs help”  
“Then I would recommend a doctor, a proper doctor”  
“A doctor wouldn’t be able to heal this” The sheriff said shifting awkwardly as she searched for the right words to explain out loud for the first time her nieces condition “she’s a, she’s been infected with, well, vampirism”  
“Ah!” Jim said stunned.  
Jody felt encouraged by the seriousness in his expression she had expected to be mocked, laughed out of the state even, so she continued “We need a magical healing to cure her. Could you? If I brought her by do you think you could do that again?”  
“I’m a fake! A charlatan. It was all a trick, all of it. I’m sorry I can’t help”  
“You won’t even try?”   
“sorry but no”  
Jody bit back the unwanted ache in her chest that she knew would lead to useless tears. She marched off before her emotions could betray her. “Damn you!”  
Jim was left feeling horrible when suddenly Sam was stepping forcefully up into his space   
“You called the Sheriff?” Sam barked barely concealing his anger  
“There were guns, I didn’t feel safe” Cas explained his words stumbling out “And they shot Jerk I was worried”  
“The dog’s fine!” Sam snapped pacing in his frustration “And I said that if you had any problems that we’d deal with it didn’t I?”  
“Sorry” Jim said “there was no one at the lodge, I had to do something”  
“Well this wasn’t it. We’ll never get rid of them now”  
“I didn’t know okay” Jim said wondering why it even mattered “What exactly is it that you do out here anyway? The guns, the chains, the huge dogs?”  
“What? How? Look, the deal was we keep out of your business and you keep out of ours!”   
“I don’t think you ever specified anything quite like that!”  
“We were both being pretty vague weren’t we!”  
“But you’re being suspiciously so”  
Sam took a deep breath “Look” he started but Jim didn’t wait to hear more he’d already decided he’d had enough for one day and down the back of his trouser leg his fur bristled.  
Sam stopped, he didn’t see anything but could feel something was happening. His vision blurred slightly and he became transfixed with an image inside his head, of him stuck here on this patch of dirt his books useless his dreams gone. He felt cold, so cold.  
“I’ve wasted too much of my life doing nothing here” Sam whispered looking round in horror. “I gotta go” he said to Jim breaking into a run to get away.  
“Sure” Jim said watching Sam leave relieved at his rational reaction to fear as it strongly suggested he at least wasn’t a violent person, that didn’t however make him a nice person “The dog was shot, it is not fine assbutt” he muttered darkly.

Dean found the place where the van had been parked and followed his trail through into the woods to where he’d been hit. There was no sign that the police dogs had swept this far out yet so he took his time to carefully scratch out any blood splatters that he could find. After the initial impact and where he’d dug the bullet out there wasn’t much to be cleaned up. He took his time anyway and retraced his steps that night back to the house scuffing any drips he spotted along the way.  
When he got back the scared police dogs were already being packed into the police vans  
“All done?” He asked Sheriff Mill’s “find anything I should know about?”  
“No” Jody snapped, and she’d clearly lost interest in the whole exercise “It was probably just poachers, I wouldn’t worry too much” She said slamming a door unnecessarily hard before checking her behaviour “but do call if it happens again and I’ll send someone up to check on you” She said through a pained smile  
“Will do, and thanks” Dean said as she made to leave with the rest of her team.  
He sat on the porch to watch them go.   
“Did they find anything?” Jim asked stepping up behind him.  
“No, there was nothing to find” Dean answered “I actually dealt with the intruders last night”  
“oh?”  
“They were from the bar. I told you you were attracting attention” Dean said accusingly  
Jim looked at his feet  
Dean felt a little bad and lightened his tone “I scared them off pretty good and I’ll be ready if they want more, don’t worry about it”  
Jim looked up surprised at Dean’s change in attitude “Your dog was hit”  
“He’s fine” Dean said  
Jim felt pissed that this meant so little to either of the brothers “I don’t like you risking animals when there’s guns”  
“He’s fine” Dean repeated but he could see Jim was getting pissy, and at this time in the lunar cycle, well he didn’t need that “I’ll be more careful with the dog in future” he said apologetically watching Jim steadily calm down “Have you seen Sam around?”  
“No” Jim said quickly, “I have to; I actually have to get back to work now”   
“Sure fine” Dean replied. He was left alone on the porch with his thoughts. Sam had deserted him, Jody was pissed, Ellen was dead, and he wasn’t totally convinced he couldn’t feel some sort of buzz from that ectoplasm beer, as he sat here smelling the familiar scents of home on his porch. All in all it had been a strange day.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages later and she remembers how to write...

“Please don’t tell me you let that monster in the house” Balthazar sighed when the larger than life mutt wandered back into their midst.  
It had been a long day and people were only just getting settled after all of the excitement from earlier. Pulling up to see every cop car in the district plus the dog unit packing up wasn't the usual way to start a relaxing retreat.   
Of course there had been questions regarding safety and concerns about the remoteness of this particular location but Jimmy wasn't moving. He didn’t know why he was so adamant on staying put; there was just something about the place, especially now that Jerk was back by his side that made everything here seem safe... Safer than any of his clients offers of accommodation anyway.  
Jerk was still limping, but only a little, Jimmy just couldn’t explain it. He had been sure there had been a substantial wound on the dogs shoulder with blood and gore and, and everything, but now, now there was nothing, just a slight limp. Perhaps he had over reacted? Perhaps Sam and Dean had been right to be mad. He had felt so scared at the time, scared enough to justify calling the local sheriff. He hadn’t expected the over enthusiastic response of course, and if he’d known she’d have recognised him from his regrettable stint as Emmanuelle....but despite all that he had to admit he defiantly felt better now. Now that he knew there was nothing out there and the house was back full again with people, noise and distractions.   
Jerk wasn’t pleased, slinking away to hide in the darkened library. He barely peeked out from behind the desk to watch the new intruders as they settled in. Jim threw him concerned glances every now and then but was generally too busy to try coax the dog out, he was just glad the dog was inside and safe, that would have to do for now.  
Dean was feeling grim, Sam wasn’t taking his calls after disappearing on him and these people were all too new and foreign smelling. He moped stubbornly in the dark unwilling to leave and too gloomy to put much effort into learning all the new scents and names to make this group feel more like pack sooner. Sam’s rejection had been too much, he needed company sure but these guys, they seemed like a real smarmy unlikeable bunch. Beautiful though, they were all incredibly beautiful, he could get used to them he guessed while still refusing to go out and mingle.  
Jimmy led everyone into a larger room to take a meditation class together.   
Dean couldn’t see to watch them now but he could hear them. The whispering music and communal humming, followed by low chanted mantras and warm scents of sandalwood, it all filtered through into his hiding space and began soothing over him making his concerns all more distant. His main worry had been over Sam and weather he’d said something more stupid than usual for him to leave like that, he couldn’t quite shake those armed intruders out either and what more he could have/ should do about that; his near standoff with Benny still played on his mind which even now he didn’t fully understand. Even his instincts were telling him things that his brain had yet to catch up on; like there was something else, something new stirring inside him that needed his attention... like it was more than his pack returned that he hungered after. All these things and more had affected him more than he’d known. He relaxed melting deeper into the carpet where he lay. He missed his movies and rock music, family and so much more but he felt he might miss this too, just being quiet. He might possibly be the most non committed self denied hippy that ever was.   
~~~  
Dean was feeling better by the next day after his morning duties had all been attended to and he was certain everything was safe. he went back to the lodge to shower and check in on Sam. There was still no answer but his phone buzzed back a moment later taking him by surprise. He didn’t recognize the caller; hesitantly he answered anyway “Hello?”   
“Dean!”  
“Ruby?”  
“Have you seen Sam?”  
“No, isn’t he with you?”  
“I haven’t seen him since he left with you” She said accusingly but concern was hidden in there too “I heard the sheriff was out by your place, what happened?”  
“Nothing” Dean said, and it hadn’t he’d rethought it through and through “Really, everyone over reacted to a few bumps in the night, we’d just got everything under control when Sam, well he just took off”  
“That’s not like him” Ruby stated “There must be....”  
“Look I’ll find him” Dean said hanging up before she could demand anything more from him. She was right of course he had to be missing something, he shot off a quick text to his brother ‘call me now bitch!’ he tapped quickly, then paused not sure how to covey how worried, pissed and bloody confused he was without sounding small and needy “I’ve got Ruby on my case looking for you’ he finished knowing Sam wouldn’t miss the underlying urgency in that and pressed send.  
It took two beats for Dean’s phone to light up he answered before it had time to buzz   
“Dean! I swear I never gave her your number”  
“Then how’d you know she called?” Dean said relieved at the sound of his brothers voice, all his unease melting away “It’s just a number, forget it, what happened?”  
There was a long pause where Dean just listened to the muffled sound of Sam breathing for a while  
“I just had to leave” Sam finally confessed   
“Yeah, I got that” Dean said rolling his eyes   
“No!” Sam said impatient “I mean I had to leave, I had, I want to get back to my life Dean” he said his words rushed, his voice growing a pitch too high.  
“Yeah and we will” Dean said feeling he needed to talk Sam down a bit, maybe the lack of pack was getting to him after all “We’ve got what? Five weeks to go and everything will be back to normal; or you could go catch up with dad and the pack if that’s what you need...”  
“No” Sam sighed, taking a deep breath in and taking his time, choosing his words before he continued “I mean, my life before we turned. If Ellen can, if Linda’s dead kid can... than why not me?”  
Dean felt like he’d had the very air punched right out of him, he squeezed his eyes shut and imagined they were talking about something else, something trivial “What happened?” Dean asked calmly, keeping what felt like a wild twister from building up inside him. It was a ridicules reaction, like he wanted Sam to beg to take the words back to apologize ten thousand times for mistakenly thinking them. It was a horrible reaction, a horrible over reaction and flying off the rails wasn't going to solve anything. Dean called upon all the soothing Karma the chanting and what not loaded him with the night before, and shit that stuff worked. Scraping a hand over his scalp he emptied his mind of those words and ideas, pack was everything, family was all they had.  
Sam took a long shaky breath on the other end of the line, he wasn't coping well with those words either, he was coping less with Dean’s silence, Dean’s patience with him “Dean I, I’m sorry I don’t want...”  
“No don’t apologise, we can work something out, hell we’ve got a pack of were’s to stop eating humans remember? We can get your life back on track too I’m sure, but what I don’t get is why now? I mean you were fine we were working through shit together, which is fine by the way and then, then you were gone, I mean what the hell man?” Dean said levelly as his new found alpha instincts roared hurt and angry inside him.  
Sam didn’t feel nearly as calm as Dean sounded, he felt restless and jittery desperate to take action no matter how impulsive or rash it seemed. It was only the nonexistent yet undeniably physical barrier before him that had stopped him disappearing completely. Dean’s voice did call him back to his senses a little though, made him consider what it was he was doing. “I was scared about the pack getting discovered” Sam muttered recalling his thoughts and feelings from before “and then I was petrified that I’d lost my life” He said not caring about how crazy he sounded, he could feel his strange hysteria evening out and reason creeping in now “I think, I think Steve hit me with his mojo thing, I was talking to him and then this, this happened”  
Dean took a moment, Steve’s mojo that had taken him back to their childhood home as the flames took everything good and innocent about their lives away. “And us turning’s what you find to be your worst nightmare?” Dean asked losing his control a little and hearing his words breaking slightly, John bonded them that day so they would never lose one another again how could Sam not see that?  
“Dean I wasn’t old enough to remember mom, yeah losing our freedom was the worst thing to happen for me. I’m sorry, but I wanted to be somebody, to help people and not just from us I wanted to make the world a better place, still do. You did too, didn’t you? Once?”  
Dean took another moment, he didn’t, he’d only ever wanted to make it better for them, it was always family and appreciating every fragile moment they had together. Childishly he scuffed his toe into the rug under his feet, he couldn’t relate not even a bit but he somehow managed to string some coherent words together that didn’t sound wholly negative “We could look at getting you back into some sort of education”  
“Dean I can’t leave the state!” Sam near bawled “I got so bad yesterday that I drove all night and like before when I tried to get to the library, I literally can’t go any further. I’m fucking trapped here”  
“You drove all night to get away from us?” Dean said slowly and the silence that followed actually stung.  
“Listen” Sam said eventually “I’m calling some of those people looking for him, Steve or whatever. Ruby’s right we’ve got to know what we’re dealing with here, maybe he’s why I can’t leave, maybe that’s why there’s a bounty on him! I mean it can’t be coincidence that all this happens at once can it?”  
Dean didn’t answer he was still too hung up on Sam being able to try and leave him like that, he could never, would never....  
Sam’s mind was on over drive with ideas and possibilities to solve this “I’ll call you later, okay Dean?”   
Sam waited for an answer on the dusty road he was stuck on watching traffic disappear over the horizon to freedom. He was going to figure this out. He was going to disappear too, he had to. He didn’t notice the tinny voice that had finally found it’s self again and was now calling frantically to get his attention once more. Sam held his hand complete with phone to shade his eyes as another car streaked by, disappearing like the rest. He turned back to his own useless vehicle kicking the dirt as he retreated back to it. Dropping back into the driver’s seat and only barely remembering the still lit up phone as it fell into the passenger side discarded he hit the ‘end call’ button before throwing himself into dark thoughts of escape.  
Dean felt sick to his stomach. He needed to drive to take his baby and just drive for a bit clear his head that’s what he needed. He pulled on a shirt and jeans and grabbed his keys.   
As soon as he passed the main house he spotted Jim sitting on the porch, a cell phone held against his ear, he looked pissed.   
Dean pulled up killing the engine. Sam’s words ’it can’t be all coincidence’ rang loud in his head.  
Jim was busy, speaking in short clipped sentences “No, I can’t! Not this time” He turned his head a little to regard the car and Dean suspiciously.  
Dean watched him shamelessly.   
Jim finished apologising down the phone and hung up. Dean could scent the unease he was trying to hide in every small measured breath and movement. It made him feel dangerously powerful even in this form.  
“Can I help you?” Jim asked, his voice lower than usual, a mask.  
“So it’s Jimmy now?” Dean said sharply ignoring the question  
“Different group different name” Jim shrugged “Helps me understand what a potential client is looking for by which identity they find me under”  
“Hmm” Dean muttered unimpressed “Sam’s running scared I don’t suppose you’d know anything about that?”  
“No” Jim answered shifting his weight and looking away  
“Or the apparent barrier stopping him from doing so?”  
“What?” Jim’s eyes snapped back to Dean “No” he said firmly this time  
“Hop in” Dean said gesturing toward the passenger seat “I need a drive and answers, can’t see why I can’t combine the two”  
“I can’t” Jim said glancing back to the safety of the still open door to the house “my clients...”  
“Can shag all by themselves I’m sure”   
Jimmy’s jaw snapped shut; he’d searched thoroughly for cameras when he’d cleaned... so how??  
“Hop in!” Dean repeated his voice managing to drop an octave deeper than either of them had accomplished to date.  
Jim looked stunned for a moment, then blinked that look away and walked over, taking a seat in the huge black muscle car as Dean gunned the engine.  
Dean didn’t look at him, didn’t even wait for him to finish pulling the door shut before he was pulling away. Jim snapped his belt on and gripped the seat wondering what the hell kind of situation he’d just stepped into.  
Dean drove his baby hard down the track leading to the road. If anyone else were driving her like this he’d have killed them, but hell he was riled and didn’t have a clue what he was doing here. He pulled up sharply at the junction “Need a lift?” He said through the open window and Jim wasn't sure how to respond before a girl he hadn’t even spotted came striding into view from seemingly no where.  
“Sure!” She said smiling as she climbed in the back “Ro-  
“Roadhouse I know” Dean said and Jim felt the tense atmosphere in the car drop further as the hairs on his neck began to prickle. Dean waited this time for the girl to get in before calmly pulling away down the smooth tarmac of the road. “Been out here long?” Dean asked his tone too casual the corners of his mouth lifting at Jimmy’s expense as he scented the fear flowing off of the man.  
“No not really” the girl answered her eyes fixed on Jimmy sat directly in front of her.  
Dean watched her in his rear mirror, her brow knitting in concentration, she was giving off far more chilling vibes than she usally did.  
Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Dean smiled wider as he looked back to the road, two could play at this game and no one played to win like Jo.   
Dean missed Jo’s focus turning to regard him, sure she had a string of questions for Dean’s magical lodger friend but that was for Ellen’s pet project, she wasn't so interested in that. Jo had her own agenda, she cleared her throat politely and began her interrogation.  
“Some guy down at the hospital claims to have seen a werewolf out here”   
“Crazy” Dean said still grinning.  
“Maybe” Jo continued her eyes narrowing “Thought I’d take a look anyway”  
Dean wasn't rising to the bait, wasn't even sure he was being baited. The road curved sharply demanding his full attention as trees blocked his line of sight for a while.  
“And if there was one?” Jimmy asked  
“Then I’m ready” Jo replied “Are you?”   
Dean risked a glance in the mirror where Jo’s eyes were waiting for him. He huffed a nervous laugh, Jo was serious, “They only come out at night I hear” he said coolly.  
“It was a full moon last night and you should never believe everything you hear” Jo sat back chewing her lip thoughtfully. Dean knew her too well, had played this game with her too often, but his friend “You’re Steve aren’t you?”   
“Yes” Jim answered stopping mid turn to glance at Dean “Sometimes”   
“You’re renting Dean’s place. You’ve been having some trouble up there”  
“I haven’t seen any werewolves” Jimmy answered sincerely “Someone was shooting live rounds round the property, I called the sheriff”  
A silence stretched out for a moment too long while Jim held Jo’s gaze, he noted how his heated breath curled upward in the frigid air while hers was mysteriously absent  
“And you didn’t see anything else?” Jo asked curious, mention the word werewolf and normally people laughed you off, unless they knew.  
“No” Jim said holding her gaze despite the cold shiver intensifying around them “Just that man and his friends shooting at shadows in the dark”  
“Why would they do that?”  
“I, I called the sheriff” Jim said, he had an idea, a couple, kind of. His eyes flicked to Dean because seriously, the guns, the huge dogs, the journal on monster lore, Dean knew more than he did but. Dean just stared ahead at the open road, if he was even listening then he wasn’t giving anything away which Jim found confusing “They did not seem prepared for werewolves, but”   
“They were high” Dean said finally, well stated really because this, this was treading dangerously “They were sky high amateur hunters out for some kicks and scared themselves, that’s all” he took a breath calming himself “Just ask Bella, she’ll tell exactly how much of Meg’s shit those guys had before they thought hunting in the dead of night was a good idea”  
Jimmy pulled a face “That, that may well be true” he said thinking back to the state of his own morning after  
“Oh” Jo said, she’d heard rumours, crazy ones too. The atmosphere shifted, warmed a little, Jo settled back to digest this new information, it wasn't what she wanted to hear.  
“Oh?” Dean said glancing in the rear view mirror to Jo, needing to know that she was dropping this line of inquiry now.   
“Yeah, Oh” Jo challenged meeting his eyes with a serious glare, she wasn't backing off that easy “You think you’re safe, but that house those woods have a bad history!”   
“No imaginary monsters are going to get me” Dean scoffed   
“No, it won’t be the monsters” Jo replied darkly  
Dean’s smile quavered, if Jim hadn’t have been so close he wouldn’t have noticed. He looked back to Jo “What are you implying?” he asked but she was gone. Just gone, he twisted round leaning over the seat to check the foot well.  
“Don’t bother” Dean growled, the Roadhouse had just come into view up a head “She does that”  
“How?”  
“Well,” And Dean thought about lying but suddenly decided that Jimmy, who wasn't human either, could probably be trusted with this “she’s dead, she haunts this road when she’s not working”  
“Dead?” Jimmy said wide eyed studying Dean’s calm bearing confused, this was tragic after all “Does her mother know?”  
“Yeah, happened a while back, they live with it”   
“So, how did she die?”  
“She was coming home from prom, got picked up by the wrong people and... you know”  
“Or werewolves?”  
“What?” Dean said feeling his irritation pique again  
“Werewolves” Jimmy continued “She’s very serious about monsters in those woods, I’ve felt something out there too and I know you know about this stuff” He said quite seriously “What are you Dean?”  
“What am I?” Dean huffed in disbelief “I’m supposed to be interrogating you on that”  
“You already seem to know too much about me, but I know nothing on you. I’ve seen things Dean, should I be afraid?” He looked earnestly at Dean, he didn’t feel like he should be afraid and that confused the hell out of him. Dean had changed since he’d first arrived, grown somehow, that wasn't something he’d ever seen before.   
“Maybe” Dean answered thoughtfully after all pack came first but strangely he had no desire to threaten the guy at all, despite everything with Sam. Dean wondered when this had happened, when his alpha storm had abated to this mild indifference. The road beyond the Roadhouse opened up the promise of green scenery beyond the sprawling houses on the main strip making this drive seem a great tonic to this morning’s upset. But Dean had to remember why he was here Sam’s panic attack wasn't right and he needed answers. “Depends I guess”   
“Okay, but what happens if you don’t like my answers?”  
“I don’t know I haven’t thought that far yet” Dean said honestly “look something’s happening here something big and it might be you and it might be something else entirely but I need to figure it out”  
“Why?” Jim asked   
“To stop it”  
“Why? I mean why you?”  
“It just kind of falls on me, I said I’d be in charge” Dean huffed “You know till my Dad gets back”  
And that was it Jim knew Dean was starting something, something he’d need to witness through to the end, he so hated when this happened “I’m a kitsune”  
“A what?”  
“A type of fox spirit” Jim explained but could see he wasn't getting through “I’m eastern but Native Americans would have had stories for my kind round here, I guess the warnings aren’t so common now”  
“And that’s it?” Dean said disappointed, all he could think of was the one about sour grapes, it didn’t really explain anything.  
“If you knew the stories you’d know that that would be enough” Jim huffed disappointed at Dean’s ignorance “Maybe you should google them, you never know their lessons might come in handy sometime soon”  
“Look I get the gist, morale tales about greed and vanity and whatever but what exactly did you do to Sam?”  
“It’s about insight! And besides you know what I do” Jim shrugged   
“Kind of yeah”  
“Well I did it to Sam, he was kind of blasé about Jerk getting shot at and I kind of reacted”  
“You gave Sam his worst fear?”  
“I strongly suggested for him to be afraid, tends to work”  
“And that’s it?” Dean asked confused because when you knew what was happening then the effects tended to fade, that first time however had been very convincing. If this was Sam’s first then perhaps the effects were still lingering “So can you turn it off now?”  
“Turn it off?”  
“Yeah, he’s frantic”  
“Dean I can’t maintain that kind of magical influence”  
“What does that mean?”  
“It means his greatest fear must be something in the here and now, something he needs to fix”   
Dean scratched a hand over his head. Why hadn’t Sam ever mentioned any of this before now, not that it would have helped, if Dean could feel an adverse alpha reaction to Sam wanting anything beyond pack than John would go ape shit “Could you reverse it then? Make him feel, I don’t know, better?”  
“He’d have to be here for me to try something like that and the results would be, unpredictable”  
“Explain”  
“All I offer is an allusion; it’s the equivalent of offering him drugs or alcohol, it might work temporarily but it’s not a cure”  
“Okay fine” Dean reluctantly agreed because as a human well those were the done fixes, John swore by them. They weren’t nearly so effective now they’d turned; it occurred to Dean how powerful Jimmy’s magic was that it could potentially affect him so strongly, how desirable that could be to other supernatural beings. This required some serious consideration, but that would have to be later when he had today’s problems sorted “Maybe you could help another way then, you’re magic maybe you could better understand this wall thing that’s got Sam so riled”  
“No, I can’t”  
“What, why now?”  
“Cautionary tales remember? I don’t help anyone anymore” Jimmy said looking sullenly away as if overwhelmed by a burden of regret.  
It was very melodramatic and Dean rolled his eyes “Yet you host sex parties”   
Jimmy glared back at him his blue eyes wide and unabashed “Magic requires energy and I’m a magical creature, so sue me”   
“That’s kind of like being round folks and helping with their hard bonners” Dean said thoughtfully “Isn’t that like breaking all your afore mentioned rules of how to avoid being a friend when the shit hits the fan? Which it inevitably does by the way with or without you sticking around long enough to witness it”  
“It’s different, controlled” Jimmy said grasping for the right words to explain himself adequately “I vet my clients before hand, make sure they’re all happy, healthy motivated individuals, already aspiring in their chosen field. They come to me seeking only a short retreat and nothing more, and in return I skim a little of their energy. I never stay round anyone too long and offer only fantasies they could potentially achieve anywhere”  
“And that works? Nothing ever goes wrong?”  
“For the most part, some of them... want to claim something from their experience, but otherwise yes so far so good” Jim looked away again willing the tranquil scenery to distract his real thoughts on the matter . There had been a couple of times when things had gotten out of hand and some of his clients were very inspired when it came to getting what they wanted.  
Dean meanwhile imagined Jim’s life, it was the total opposite of his, even before the werewolf thing “So no friends, no family”  
“This is the way of my kind”  
“Does it not get lonely ever?”  
“You get used to it” Jim shrugged, his only regrets had been getting too comfortable for too long in some instances, something that could be happening now with the novelty of having a dog around, a familiar ally to return home to, “people and situations tend to become suffocating” he said shaking off the pull of allowing companionship into his life even if it was the kind of company he could actually work with, maybe Sam with his dismissive attitude might be persuaded to sell the animal.... Jim struggled to hide his smile at that possibility “I enjoy my freedom, its unpredictable at times but continuously stimulating”   
“I’d say” Dean chuckled catching Jimmy’s half hidden grin, his mind scrolling through the racier scenes from the man’s indeed very ‘stimulating’ career “it certainly has its perks” he winked emphasising his joke  
Jim smiled wider enjoying the comradely between them, he knew what Dean was implying, everyone focussed on the sex side of things and alas not much else, once he’d probably have agreed, “It’s got to be the cheese burgers for me” he admitted  
Dean laughed remembering Ellen’s and all that junk Jim was getting in and man, he really meant it “All that sex really is wasted on you isn’t it buddy” he sighed  
“I’ve just yet to meet anyone who’s into my kind of thing”Jim replied winking back at Dean audaciously.  
Dean’s mind ran a mile a minute, what more was there? Well it had to be the kinky stuff chains, whips and maybe even role play that got this guy going; he could get down with that.  
“...but what now?” Jim was saying getting serious again.  
Dean struggled to catch up “Huh?”  
“I’ve seen the cabin Dean, Sam already told me that you hunt, so what happens now?”  
“Nothing” Dean replied. If Jim had nothing to do with Sam, that whack barrier or any of those monsters turning up recently, then he really had no problem with the guy. Plus keeping him and his clients round for Dean’s own gratification was kind of cool too. “We’re good”  
Jim huffed a sigh of relief, cautiously smiling for real now. He was safe, if Jo was tolerated than he felt he could trust Dean’s word. Maybe Dean only hunted destructive things? Jim remembered something that he hadn’t really thought too much on before, something that might be relevant to Dean’s dilemma “I was drawn to the area, even before I saw your add” he confessed “and now I'm here I’m reluctant to leave, despite you knowing too much about me” he said finding the whole senario very strange suddenly “A fox spirit renting from a hunter, what were the chances?”  
“Ex-hunter” Dean corrected, confirming Jimmy’s guess as to what he was, well once was “We’re nothing to be scared of. You just do your thing and we’ll do ours”  
Jimmy nodded and decided that it was a good idea to leave things at that for now.  
Dean drove on, just drove for the sake of driving. No one had spoken for a while so he popped in a cassette setting the sound a touch lower than when he’d listen alone. He shared the same classic rock tastes as his dad so these anthems were like home to him. He tapped the beat and hummed along as he decided to take the next turn up into the hills passed the more expensive hunter lodges with views out over the valley.   
Dean took note of what vehicles and folks he could see, ever vigilant should he spot those intruders again from the other night. There was nothing to spark his suspicions pre brought BBQ and fishing seemed to be the thing. He drove on following the road as it meandered through trees and into open fields before returning to wild scrub as the turf became too shallow nearer the hills. The road climbed lazily up to its highest point and Dean pulled up at the view point to take in the valley, his territory was out of sight but he could still see the avenue of trees the marked the edge of Benny’s land and a glint that was the top of the roadhouse. It had been a while since he last ventured out so far and for so long from his territory.  
Jimmy was uncertain what it was they were doing here, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve should he need to run but was content to wait till he was sure he needed to make a break for it.  
“So are you doing your thing now?” Dean asked breaking the silence  
“Like what?” Jimmy asked genuinely confused  
“I don’t know making me feel relaxed I guess?” Dean asked as he really did feel peaceful right now, more so than when he was with his pack and John had everything/everyone under control, more so than when he and Sam would shift for the sake of running together letting their basic wolf instincts take over for them.  
“No” Jim said watching Dean carefully, somehow needing to test this thing between them further to see if it really could work “but I could feed off of your energy when you’re like this”   
Dean didn’t even blink at that, like he didn’t care, or maybe he hadn’t heard  
“What are you thinking about?” Jim asked instead  
“Nothing” and Dean wasn't, all that was on his mind was driving like this forever, letting whatever problems sort themselves out. “What would happen if you fed? Would I feel it?”  
“A bit, because it’s just you here. All that energy you’d usually expand thinking about other things I’d be like that drain, you’d know I was doing it unless you were very distracted”  
“What happens when you don’t feed?”  
“I’d get weak. Life would get very boring”  
“But you’d survive”  
“I’d live”  
“Hm. We’d better head back” Dean decided, he’d needed this little time out but now he needed to get serious again. Beside him Jimmy just nodded and slouched down into the seat relaxing fully for the first time since starting their trip together.  
It was a nice ride, somewhere along the way Dean had taken the long route round the far side of the valley. They’d zigzagged a few more of the more scenic hill passes then a circled the larger fishing lake and returned through town where Dean had spotted Sam’s car parked haphazardly outside one of the towns newer builds, he guessed that that was where Ruby rented. It was nice enough, modern lacked privacy but whatever; if he was human he’d probably like it. His inner alpha tugged deep inside him displeased that Sam hadn’t returned home after his episode. He was too relaxed to take that personally, if he had a girl who’s arms he could fall into waiting for him... he hoped Sam had returned for his girlfriend, even if it was Rudy, and wasn't on that bloody laptop. But whatever, it was Sam’s decision, at least he was safe.  
Dean pulled up into the dirt drive leading up to his house where he could already see Balthazar sat on the porch waiting. The impertinence of the man made him want to growl.   
The impala came to a stop its engine purring steadily. Jim didn’t move, he just gazed out at the house.  
“Come on breaks over, back to work buddy” Dean said  
Jim shifted to regard Dean one last time. He was reluctant to let this moment slip away and wasn’t at all sure why. He’d taken a few days off and was hungry he guessed and here was Dean with energy ripe for the taking “Good bye Dean” Jim said as he opened the door and climbed out leaving all temptation ehind  
As soon as Jim was clear of the car Balthazar jumped down from his perch and rushed over linking their arms, the chatter that Jim usually liked about Balthazar started full pelt “Where did you go? What did he want? What did you do?”   
Jimmy’s answers were clipped and not at all forthcoming, Balthazar was only interested because he was crushing on Dean like he impulsively crushed on every man he’d newly laid eyes on.   
“....all that time?” Balthazar exclaimed astonished “What on earth did you talk about?”  
And he might not have meant it to be rude but Jimmy took it as such “We do have a few interests in common”  
“Please” Balth said “You with your shabby... hipster um, thing and him with his blue steel pout and physique....  
“You’re drooling” Jimmy sighed  
“So what if i am? I needed a boost in my yin and that man is just the kind of yang I’ve been craving, him and the other guy we were pawing over the other day, what was his name?”  
“Sam, Dean’s brother”  
“Yes that’s the one, damn but they breed them right round here, how do you find these little lost hot beds of human hotness?”  
Jimmy stared disbelieving at his companion who fell deeply in lust without fail everywhere he went, everyone had some hidden potential and everyone, without fail, could somehow fulfil him in his time of need which was always.  
“So how soon do we get started?” Balthazar asked feeling his impatience growing  
“We can start now” Jimmy said feeling suddenly very famished, it had been a few days since he last replenished his energy levels and his time resisting feeding off of Dean had apparently taken a toll “I’ve been preparing a very special meditation that I think you’ll enjoy...”   
“Let’s cut the crap and skip to the good stuff already” Balthazar said covering his stern tone with a sickly sweet smile.  
“Um” Jimmy waivered unsure, meditation was so much easier on his part and such a large group hallucination was going to be nearly as taxing as it was rewarding “Perhaps just you...” he tried but Balthazar wasn't listening, he was stepping into the kitchen where the rest of the group were gathered for lunch, they all turned expectantly as one   
“Who’s with me?” Balthazar asked his audience waving his arms with a flourish to drum up the support he was so clearly expecting “Let’s get this party started already! What do you say?”   
Everyone dropped their food and drink in unison murmuring agreement and pushing out past the door in their haste, Jimmy realised he’d been set up, the guests were now calling the shots and there was nothing he could really do about it right at this moment  
Balthazar smiled again softer now in the wake of his triumph as he released Jimmy’s arm to follow the crowd up “You know It’s what we’re all really here for” he said unapologetically  
“Right” Jim sighed, smiling weakly “Best get cleaned up then”  
~

Dean had returned to the lodge. He was again contemplating what to do about Sam only now in a more settled state of mind. He had picked up his cell ready to call and tell his brother everything he’d learnt about their lodger but hesitated over the call button. He didn’t want to share what he knew, even though it would put Sam at ease even though it was in the interest of the pack that they work together to keep this under complete control, he couldn’t.  
Dean’s phone lit up before in his hand as he wavered, it was Sam, Dean’s mouth went suddenly dry and he let it go to answer phone rather than commit to any decision right now.  
Sam obviously wasn't expecting Dean not to answer, he rambled randomly about research, mentioned that he was back at Ruby’s, and that they were meeting up with some of her friends later tonight if he wanted to come along. Dean didn’t but he was curious, Sam sounded buzzed which was a big improvement but made Dean a little suspicious; maybe he should go find out what the change was all about... but right now he was hungry and although there was some food hidden in the buried kitchen he knew it wasn't anything he wanted. He checked the time, they’d be finishing lunch at the house about now, Dean switched to wolf from and strolled over to investigate.  
He was surprised to find everything his heart desired fully plated and laid out seemingly abandoned. As no one was around he tucked in to whatever he wanted downing three helpings of pan fried chicken before hearing a suspicious moaning from down the hall.  
The group was already well into a sex session. Jim sat against the door frame more out in the hallway than a part of the session, his usual book abandoned to one side he sat staring at a point on the ceiling as if tranced.  
Dean whined in disbelief as he got closer and recognized the glassy eyed look that accompanied Meg’s pills, nudging his nose into the guys ribs and pinching him there when he got no response he roughly pawed the man back into a consciousness.  
Jim jumped out of his stupor, flinching away hard enough to roll off his cushion. He pulled himself back up stretching himself out as he did and rolling his limbs.   
Dean watched as jimmy’s exposed tail responded to all his movements, rolling back, standing out straight and curling in under his stomach. It was a strange thing, more versatile than a dogs and like Jims hair, the fur was always on end it.   
Jim leaned forward to fuss the dog as it watched him. The tail lent heavily to the left, not to counter balance Dean noted, but to encompass them and exaggerate its erratic movement, like its message was not to be missed. Wolves were so much simpler, up down or wagging it didn’t overly matter what was more important was the mussel end and what the teeth were doing. Miss read that communication and you were in for a sharp lesson.  
Jimmy continued making a fuss a moment more before remembering what was going on around him “Oh fuck” he sighed flopping back down, the tail dropped too, it still twitched erratically but the enthusiasm was clearly gone.  
Dean made himself comfortable and watched the new bodies working and sweating all over each other, this was the kind of tail he wanted to see. There was a girl that instantly caught his eye. From Jimmy’s half assed instructions Dean soon gathered that her name was Hanna, she was just his type and Dean watched her get drilled mercilessly by a power house going by the name of Urial. She was beautiful in her shameless abandon enjoying every rough thrust pushing her harder against the floor. Behind her Balthazar was in a similar position, a sharp featured man whose name Dean hadn’t yet caught above him fucking down. From here Dean compared the two pale lean bodies, Hanna’s soft curves to Balthazar’s lean lines, so different and both enjoying the enthusiastic treatment they were getting. Dean knew which one he preferred but his eyes kept wandering back to Balthazar, his genuine moans loud and keen, the undisguised build of tension in his lithe torso. Dean could relate to the sensations that’s what it was, knew the pattern of muscle reflexes as the male body neared completion and, damn, Balthazar suddenly shouted his release, partially gagged by the floor, he climaxed enthusiastically load and incredibly untouched.   
“Uh Dean you’re a god!” Balthazar panted pulling himself weakly up onto his knees  
Dean’s ears shot up, as did Balthazar’s confused partners anger  
“Ezekiel, you heard Ezekiel!” Jim shouted and Balthazar’s partner calmed considerably “Fuck, I’ve told him, I’m always telling him not to say fucking names” Jim muttered  
“Now where’s your brother Sam?” Balthazar laughed flushed and trembling and hungry for more “I so need to suck that big boy off before I can say I’m done”  
“No names! And he’s right behind you now Balth” Jim said smiling darkly “You are going to take him slow and deep, massaging him till your tonsils literally ache. Rebecca, hold still for this”   
Balthazar took in the nearest cock pointed at him, relaxing his throat beyond what Dean deemed possible he seemed to forgo even breathing to hold the cock deep within himself. It didn’t seem to matter that it was a strap-on worn by a lithe cute girl standing over him, Balthazar worked it like it was real and this was his life defining performance.   
“That should work” Jim said picking up his book, it was John’s journal and Jim was reading up on werewolves. Dean’s lip curled up in irritation that he'd forgotten to retrieve it earlier but he couldn’t do anything about that now, he’s attention had already been snatched away again by Hanna as she left Urial spent and crawled, buttocks flushed from her pounding, over to engage with a new partner. This one was totally submissive; he let himself be pushed back and manoeuvred by the smaller woman. Lay there motionless while she lay back against him guiding his cock into her. She wriggled herself down till he was as far in as she could get him then gestured for Balthazar’s old partner, Dean, to join. Dean’s eyes widened as did Hanna’s legs as she took the other man’s cock in too, she moaned and gasped at the stretch as they all wriggled tightly together.   
“Can we hurry this up now?” Jimmy said clearly not paying any attention to the performance “Ezekiel” The guy Balthazar had called Dean looked up “Finish this up now” Jim said and Ezekiel immediately responded gripping Hanna’s thighs and working as vigorously into her and against the second cock as he had taken Balthazar before. Hanna panted and mewled in response, she sounds going straight to Dean’s core but like before he couldn’t really tell if she meant it. She lay prone between the two men legs wide, holding them together as they sweated and worked either side of her. The guy beneath pushing up to meet Ezekiel’s thrusts, eyes locked both men began losing their rhythm, shuddering together. Ezekiel’s face screwed tight and cum streamed out Hanna’s pussy making her smile. She pushed Ezekiel off letting him lie prone on the third member of their little party; her eyes were on Rebecca now. Rebecca slipped out of her strap on off giving it to Balthazar to continue his play with and met Hanna half way kneeling down locking lips and massaging each other’s clits till they both sighed finally with genuine contentment.   
Jimmy got up tucking his tail neatly away and opened his arms to start congratulating the group on their great efforts “Hanna you were perfect, Malarchi you always out do you self, Ezekiel I’ll never get enough of you and Rebecca, insatiable as always”  
“Cassy!” Balthazar sighed happily wrecked and dropping into Jimmy’s arms holding him tight “You fiend! I shan’t be walking straight again!”  
Jim patted his back “You never did, now get cleaned up already your dripping come all over the wood floor”  
“Oh it’s only oak; I’ll get them a decent rosewood or something now come bathe with me!” Balthazar demanded pulling at Jimmy.  
Jimmy slipped out of the other man’s grasp “There’s one bath and you’ll be washing with everyone else. I’ll see you up there now go” he said pushing him away.  
Jimmy pushed them all out, fetched his bucket of cleaners, pulled on the now tired looking marigolds and got to work piling all the Cushions to one side, plunging the dildos into the sink and scrubbing every surface thoroughly with sweet smelling product.  
Dean watched him bent over and lost in his actions. He wondered for the up teeth time what got the guy off if nothing here did anything for him. He should have been thinking about Balthazar using both his and Sam’s names which was nothing short of weird, he should have been making off with the abandoned journal; but instead he was thinking about whether or not Jimmy applied the same kind of attention to a partner’s body as he did to the floor that he was so thoroughly working a cloth over stroking every inch of its polished surface.  
Jim’s phone buzzed. Jimmy dropped his head and sighed dramatically before sitting back and taking it. “Hello, yes it’s been a while how are you? Me too, yes, yes. NO...”  
Dean decided to take that as his cue to go home and work off the effects the session was having on his own body, his mind was clearly wandering. He picked up the journal and quietly snuck off.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure there's still a million typo's, be warned!!

Dean cleaned up, dressed in his sharpest plaid and headed out to the roadhouse to meet up with Sam, Ruby and whatever creatures it was that she called friends. He was sure he was going to regret this but Sam had sounded different, better even and that was an undeniably welcome change.  
As he drove by the house Dean spotted the occupants out relaxing on the lawn enjoying the last of the evening sun. He slowed down hoping to catch a glimpse of Hanna, toying with the idea of maybe asking her to join him, maybe. It was hard to tell who was who amongst the assortment of crazy coloured blankets and throws. Only Balthazar stood out clearly as he walked about the slumped forms offering pills like sweets to anyone and everyone as he went. No one was refusing and for some reason Dean loathed the man a little more than he apparently already did. As if he could taste the slight rise of disgust for him in the air Balthazar glanced up meeting Dean’s eye, he smiled weirdly, blowing an exaggerated kiss as he beckoned Dean over to join them.  
It was just too creepy, Dean revved the already gutturally deep engine and pulled away letting the breeze the speed gave him cool his irritation. He slowed again at the junction, would it be too soon to catch Jo there again? He slowed anyway curious, scanning further down the empty road just in case...and there she was, quite a way off, and stumbling! Dean wasted no time in getting to her so it wasn't till he was almost pulled up on top of her that he realised, it wasn't Jo. The smell, the dry crumbling clothes the weird skin and the stagger! This was a zombie!  
The girl turned her dry milky eyes toward the car and redirected her stumble at Dean, slowly turning a full 180 as he led her away from the road and into the surrounding woods.  
Dean couldn’t drive his baby too far off road just enough to be out of sight in the shadows of the trees. The zombie stumbled faithfully after, her pace a little slower over the rough ground, her focus grave like she would pursue Dean for ever.  
Dean pulled off his outer shirt while he waited for her to catch up and tossed it back into the car. He then looked round for a suitable weapon; he had knives and guns in the boot of course but he fancied a club for this. He found a suitable branch gave it a few practice swings to be sure then turned back to regard stumbly as she drew a little closer. He could really smell her now and see her properly, her face was dry and thin, her pale dress heavily weathered and her foot most defiantly broken and bent at a strange angle. Dean stared at her in wonder, he’d always wanted to see a zombie, ever since he’d learned monsters existed these had been his favourite.  
She wandered along perfectly happy and groaning in true zombie style as he slowly stepped back away from her some more. She was so cool, and so pathetically slow, it seemed such a waste dispatching before he’d had the chance to show her off to Sam.  
“This way girl!” He cooed patting his thighs, she moaned a little harder at the sound “There’s a good Zombie” Dean said encouraging her to follow him further, there was a very old, very dilapidated shed out here somewhere. He wasn't sure where exactly but the prospect of having his own pet zombie meant finding it was pretty important right now.  
Twenty minutes later and the impala was still in sight. Dean was still thinking of a name witty enough for his zombie and the smell was seriously, seriously building. He looked back; the zombie’s skin was so dry, she really shouldn’t be stinking like that. He glanced down to her pale sun dress which was ballooning outward suspiciously. There was too much fabric to tell what was going on under there but the image of a dead sheep bloated with legs stiffly jutting out round the swell came to mind just as the zombie snagged her broken foot and tipped forward.  
Dean whipped round ducking his head and covering his mouth, the zombie went down with a bang splattering her fetid insides everywhere. Dean’s back was pelted with gore and even through his fingers the smell was enough to kill him dead. Screwing his face tight against the smell he braved a peek back, she was already pulling herself to her feet. Thank god! He thought through the tear inducing stink. Her dress was ripped to shreds though exposing a slimy black cavity left behind by her exiting organs.  
The zombie seemed much relieved, pushing herself up like an athlete she launched into an unexpectantly speedy limp.  
Dean snatched up his stick, turning just in time to catch her falling onto him. With some effort he pushed her back, her spindly frame far stronger than it looked, he struggled to keep her mouth at bay while she batted him with her flailing limbs. Her assault was endless; her fingers tore through any fabric where she got a hold of him and Dean fought harder to keep those filthy fingers away from his skin.  
All hope of keeping her flew out the window as he landed a few good blows to her head ruining her face and cracking her skull. Still she came, head smashed and rotted brains sloshing about. Dean cursed every Zombie film ever as he tore off her arms in his bid to get her under some sort of control. Her teeth were always within a foot of biting and her gory insides were smeared over every inch of his body. Dean could hardly breathe with her so close but once the arms were off he took a good hold of her jaw, jammed his foot into the cradle of her empty pelvis and twisted her neck till it popped free.  
He stood back catching his breath. In his hands the head still snapped, on the ground the torso and limbs still aimlessly flailed. But that wasn't the only noise. Another two zombies were striding up behind him. Dean threw the head clocking one while catching the wrists of the other as it grabbed for his throat. He sincerely wished he hadn’t wandered so far from the car and the arsenal of weapons in the boot, he also wished he had better taste in bloody monsters.  
~  
Back at the house after a long pleasant night everyone had finally started to turn in. Jimmy hung back waiting till everyone was safely inside. He kept glancing back from the porch light off into the dark unable to shake an uneasy feeling growing inside of him. He near jumped when Balthazar grabbed a hold his arms.  
“Come to bed with me Cassy”  
“Its James here” He snapped taking Balthazar to one side “And we both know you wouldn’t last two seconds if I were to let slip anything about your identity so please” Jim huffed willing his patience back “try harder to play along”  
“So so serious Ca- Jimmy” Balthazar giggled as if too far gone to really care “live for the moment or you won’t live at all! Now come on!” He said pulling them inside  
Jimmy resisted “Not till I can lock up behind everyone”  
“You’re pissed with me aren’t you?” Balthazar huffed sobering suddenly and adopting a sharp edge to his tone “Don’t be like that. I pay too way much for you to be like that”  
Jimmy shot him a withering glare  
“Okay!” Balthazar pouted backing off “from tomorrow I’ll be more careful, promise, now come on! Seriously I don’t like it out here anymore!” he whined  
“Can you smell that?” Jimmy said turning back toward the shadows distracted.  
“It’s probably the dog” Balthazar quipped holding his nose as the smell drifting over, though faint, was truly awful.  
Jimmy stepped down off of the porch and further into the dark searching for what was out there. Then he saw it Jerk’s huge form out by the tree line almost hidden by the shadows as he tried to sneak by. Jimmy ran out to get the dog.  
“No Cassie wait!” Balthazar snapped running too but failing to catch up till Jimmy had reached the dog and caught a hold of it “Holy fuck!” He exclaimed as the stench was unbreathable “shut it out! We’ll deal with it in the morning!”  
“No!” Jimmy said clinging to the hound stubbornly and near gagging in his attempt to make out it wasn't so bad “I’m cleaning it now”  
Dean twisted and growled in Jimmy’s grip. He’d stopped counting after fifteen exactly how many zombies had come at him in the end. He’d smashed every last part them down into a pulp to get them to lie still before finally giving in to exhaustion. He hadn’t even burnt the remains yet, he was so gory and sick by the end that he’d just abandoned everything turned to his wolf form to get away quicker. He’d totally missed meeting Sam which pissed him off no end and just wanted to be able to get back home and clean up enough to at least go save his baby before calling it a night when Jimmy had apprehended him. This truly was the last straw of what his tolerance could handle, he bared his teeth snapping and snarling to show how much he meant business.  
Jimmy clung on stubbornly, such juvenile behaviour was just Jerk through and through.  
Balthazar winced a step further back with every snap of the dog’s teeth “You do know you’ve got a death wish right? That thing seriously means to kill you right now”  
“He’s fine!” Jimmy growled, the dog finally relenting under the head lock he’d managed to wrestle it into, every thrash the dog gave after that only served to work against it choking it a little more till it stilled completely panting “Just really stubborn”  
“God you were made for each other” Balthazar exclaimed giving up with trying to breath round the stench “Good night then!”  
Jimmy watched him storm off quietly relieved. He waited a moment before dragging the dog back toward the house, the animal had relented its fight against him as if it knew there was no way round this. He pulled it up the stairs and into the bath tub without a scratch. Jim stood back in silent awe of himself as the dog stood waiting, glaring daggers at everything its infuriated wild eyes landed on, but waiting. Well the door was shut there was nowhere for it to go now, but still, it was an unusual sight. The muscles in its legs quivered and twitched an affect of too much lactic acid having built up in its system. Jim grabbed the shower head and started hosing off the gore cooling off the animal’s muscles as he did and relieving the tension.  
Dean stood stock still and bared it. He needed this over a.s.a.p, the humiliation. No one was ever going to know, Sam was never going to know! As soon as he could he’d run grab some clothes, get his car, go to bed and scrub his mind clean of all memory of this, that was how it was going to happen. He focussed doggedly on this plan chanting it over and over in his mind till the words made no sense and washed away with everything else down the drain.  
Jim started the warm water. Grabbing Epsom salts and scented soap, the kind with bits in, he got to work cleaning even the tautness out of the dogs system. Filling the tub, draining then starting again as he worked over every inch of the animal. Dean learned firsthand just how thorough those attentive hands could be. The growling stopped; his legs folded and somewhere during the lathering and the wringing his eyes had fluttered shut. He’d lost all connection with his slack body by the time the hair dryer had come out. He was out of the tub and flopped across soft towels on the floor, he didn’t care how that had happened as the heat of the dryer worked his limbs into an even looser state. No one was ever going to know he reminded himself sternly as he melted impossibly further into a sort of goo, he’d just fought a zombie armey after all, had single headedly kept the territory safe yet again. He was a bloody hero and deserved this, it’s what you hero’ed for wasn't it this cloud nine state, only with women of course, preferably, if they had strong wide hands because this was perfect. This was something the pack was seriously going to have to start committing to.  
~  
Dean woke up on the rug in his bedroom. The sun was already high and there was movement downstairs. He struggled to remember how he’d ended up staying the night but right now the after affects of all that adrenaline plus the lingering sensation of those hands were presenting some serious needs that needed his attention.  
Jim was still soundly asleep on the bed so Dean risked turning back to his human form grabbing a robe and creeping superhumanly quietly out into the bathroom. It took only a few stokes like those from last night and it was all over. He propped himself against the sink while his vision went starry and waited for what felt like every drop of blood in him to return to active duty after the party. It was taking a little longer than normal for some reason so spent the time rummaging through the guests toiletry bags and personal belongings nearby. Borrowing some mouth wash and cologne as he pulled himself back together; baby was still out there. Dean tied his robe and marched boldly downstairs through the throng of wide eyed and smirking guests. He ignored all of them making a beeline straight to his lodge to grab some clothes and shoes and go save his girl.  
~  
The next few days were a blur, every sweep of the territory revealed a new monster of some sort. Some were headed directly for the house while others were passing through headed toward town and the people there that Dean had come to love enough to want to protect too.  
Dean upped the frequency of his searches only to find more trouble, he called Sam but Sam, Sam was being evasive. It wasn't until Dean had cornered a rugaru he’d been hunting very unsuccessfully for days only to discover it was actually three near identical rugaru, triplets before turning what were the chances? That Sam finally responded, racing out in full on wereform to help out. Well, try and help out, he could barely muster the speed or punch of a large dog. Dean and the three rugarus paused in their fighting to stare confused at his weak ass attempts. At least he made a good distraction holding the enemies attention long enough for Dean to remember what he was doing in time to bash their skulls to pieces. Sam gawked at Dean’s clean efficient swings, he delivered each devastating blow with such ease.  
“There you see you didn’t need me” Sam panted still unrecovered from the run up hill just to get here  
“What the hell man?” Dean said staring disbelieving at his brother, every drained looking inch of him “Lassie would have been more useful than that! Bruser even!”  
“Those were seriously big rugaru!” Sam argued “And you’ve got alpha blood now, I’m never going to compete with that” he added slouching down on a rock to look out over the valley  
Dean joined him; it was high time they had a moment and boy did ever they need one “You look awful” He commented earning another glare “Are you eating anything other than salad down there?”  
Sam just rolled his eyes ignoring him  
“You need to get your strength back” Dean continued “you won’t present if your bodies weak. You need to hunt and eat properly. Before Dad gets back, if he sees you like this, he’ll...”  
“Look I get it okay!” Sam snapped sitting up to face Dean properly “But guess what, I don’t care! I have other strengths better non bloody medieval ones, I’m not useless! Not being alpha does not make me useless”  
“I know Sammy” Dean whispered, Sam would never be useless to him, never but Sam looked sick like this.  
They sat quietly for a while not talking about it. Sam ground his jaw unnecessarily loud looking for the right words to explain himself yet again and Dean trying, but failing to stop himself exploring his new alpha powers to read into the mix of emotion flowing off of his brother. It was a heady mix that made him feel both awed at how close he could one day come to knowing Sam and nauseous because this was way too close. He didn’t have enough of a handle on his own shit understanding Sam and his own reactions to Sam was like having a whole new language thrust on him. The sensory over load caused him to shiver and recoil violently.  
Sam regarded him strangely his own inner turmoil calming a little, Dean just brushed it off it wasn't anything he really needed to share.  
“Are you happy?” Dean asked eventually when he’d recovered sufficiently “With her I mean”  
“Yeah” Sam answered, his scent shifting to something a little more positive “Yeah I am”  
“Okay” Dean said leaving it at that, leaving Sam to his human indulgences a while longer. They’d figure it out later, after all anything could happen in the mean time “That’s all that really matters at the end of the day isn’t it?”  
Sam smiled a little “I’m working on being happier” he said pulling himself up to depart again. It was too soon. Sam paused to pat Dean’s shoulder “don’t worry about me okay? just give me time”  
Something about the pat, the insincere smile had Dean needing to order him back to the protection of their home his alpha blood flaring wildly. Dean bit it all back down, like swallowing glass and whispered instead “Just come home when you’re ready” knowing instinctively that that was what Sam needed to hear.  
“Thanks Dean” Sam smiled and this time he meant it, waves of relief flooded Dean system and these alpha hormones were defiantly going to be the death of him, he let Sam go, let him return to his life with Ruby. They’d deal with it later, together, when it became a problem. But for now Dean had his own comforts and distractions to enjoy; after that he felt he needed them.  
_

It was late when Dean approached the house; the lights were on and a sex session well under way. He was getting far too used to this and wandered in to sit beside Jimmy to watch the show. It was so addictive listening to people really enjoying themselves, watching as they took from each other what they wanted, so simple, so pure. So strangely therapeutic in a creepy so not right way, something Dean tried hard not to think about, really hard.  
Rebecca was the most fascinating so far, not his type in looks but she was certainly growing on him. Her need for new each session was insatiable. She was madly unpredictable in her hunger for more and wildly inventive in her methods to obtain her fix each time. Early on she had introduced a few of her own dildos to Jimmy’s mix, far larger than what you’d expect to enjoy let alone actually accomplish. Amazingly it had been the one time Jimmy had shown a spark of interest in any of the sexual activity that happened around him. He’d picked up a ridiculously large black one, possibly modelled on a small child’s head, and examined it at some length before commenting, “I bet that’s nice” he batted the thing against his palm like he planned to play ball with it, testing the weight. “hmm... getting there” Rebecca answered handing him a cord to screw into the base, he did and with a flick of a switch it inflated swelling to twice its size. “Wow” Jimmy had muttered his eyes going wide “that’s pretty, uh, filling” “You can keep it after” Rebecca offered “I’ve moved on” “Onward and upward” Jimmy smiled gesturing with the now balloon sized thing in his hand. “I’ll give you plenty upward later” Rebecca winked and later she had put on quite a show with the thing, taking it balls first in such a way that jimmy could see her full stretch as she manoeuvred it in, she then proceeded to fuck down into Hanna with the protruding end an image that was now seared into Dean’s mind whether he liked it or not. It had been like watching dogs knotting when she’d inflated it; her possessive clasp on Hanna’s hips, Hanna’s yielding arch and panted cry as it swelled forcefully within her. It had appealed all too strongly to Dean’s wolf self, a side of him which seemed to be growing. He’d had to walk out to keep it in check, the urge to take a mate and turn her, to fuck wildly, naturally even, like that. This new thing, kink, desire whatever was shocking in its totality, so biologically strong with in him that it was a relief to go hunt monsters just to get away and find some peace from it.  
Of course he always came back. But this time he was going to keep a hold on it keep his base desires in check keep the human side of his brain in the fore; this time his reactions would be normal.  
Tonight Rebecca was in a very creative mood, Dean wondered exactly how you discovered you could get a large family jar of tomato sauce inside you let alone how you’d decide that that was going to be a sensation you’d enjoy while being simultaneously buggered and skull fucked by two burly men. She was a good looking girl even after she wiped her mouth clean and spat the jar of produce out leaving her stretched and gaping. Dean had come to admire how unashamed she was of her behaviour but he felt a bit bad for her, he could feel her emptiness as she worked her way through the group in the most extreme ways only to come out the other side still wanting, still unfulfilled. Her need was painful and she pleaded with Jimmy afterwards for a special one on one session. Jim agreed and took her into the library shutting the door behind them.  
The rest of the group were ether stumbling up to wash or already sleeping where they lay, it would have been a good time to leave but for some reason Dean really needed to know what was happening behind that door. He lay in the hall straining his ears to hear what he couldn’t see. It was quiet in there for a long while and then so hard to focus as it became harder to ignore his growing irritation at the few people remaining in the den. Balthazar in particular was being very vocal about his need to know what was going on in the library. Despite being thoroughly screwed he was trying to rally the others to storm the room. Urial listened, agreeing with the argument that they had all paid for preferential treatment, but his eyes kept landing on Dean lying out in the hall.  
“What about the dog?” Urial asked his voice deep and assertive.  
“We could put it out?” Balthazar said whipping round like he’d forgotten it was there  
“Go on then” Urial smiled sitting back  
Balthazar stomped brazenly toward the animal but his steps all too soon faltered as he got closer and he shyly side stepped round backing away till he reached the front door. Dean barely moved from where he lay he didn’t need to smell his fear to know how unnerved Balthazar was by him.  
Balthazar unlocked every bolt Jim had set and swung the door open hoping the dog would just bolt. It didn’t. He thought about possibly shooing it from behind but was too scared to venture any closer again; it was staring at him funny. From the den the sound of Urial’s laughter made him bristle, he grabbed for a solution and spotted his car parked just outside  
“I could get a weapon from my boot” He whispered hoarsely “If I said it attacked me can I be sure you’d all back me up?”  
Urial sat up suddenly very interested “What sort of weapon?” he asked running a palm over his chin thoughtfully “I must confess I’m a bit of a connoisseur” He smiled “You’d need something big, you wouldn’t want to miss”  
Balthazar visibly preened his face getting impossibly smugger at the chance to impress someone as influential as Urial “Oh-ho this will do the trick! I’ve got a, a” but his confidence had drained, what he had, among other things was a one a one of a kind highly valuable and very stolen piece of next generation weaponry, he’d been itching to try it for as long as he’d been running with it but shit, like Cassy had warned he didn’t know who anyone really was here.  
“What have you got little man?” Urial urged  
“I..” Balthazar was luckily interrupted by the creaking handle of the library door turning. Rebecca emerged looking radiantly happy but behind her Jim seemed drained holding onto the wall for support. Balthazar rushed over.  
“Can I get you anything?” Balthazar asked taking Jim’s arm and guiding him back to the den “Drink? Pills? I have many”  
“No I’m good thanks” Jimmy said slumping at the first chance into a sofa.  
Balthazar gave him a pitying look before glancing round to the others gathered there. Urial thinned his lips, clearing his throat a little he urged Balthazar to make clear what they had been discussing earlier.  
Balthazar started fluffing the cushions needlessly around himself and Jim “About Rebecca, She’s not the only one who’s paid for attention you know”  
“I know” Jim said brow furrowing  
“Only we’ve I’ve been here a week now and some of us are still feeling a little neglected”  
Jimmy looked around the group of solemn faces “How so?”  
“There’s no, sparkle, you know that certain euphoric depth that we used to achieve”  
“That was achieved through wellbeing; you’re never interested in taking any of the meditations to...”  
“Please! We all know that that stuff all a load of mumbo jumbo, what we need is your undivided attention, what we want is more personal time”  
Jim looked around again taking in all the stony faces that met him, he was in no state to argue, or it seemed to compete with the sort of chemically induced highs so easily achieved with Balthazar’s array of modern drugs. He would have to make this the last time he dealt with this group, his longest standing to date. Familiarity made him think of them as friends and he knew he’d feel their loss “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow”  
“Is that a promise?” Balthazar “No more holding back for your little trysts with that Dean fellow”  
“What do you mean?”  
“We all saw him leaving your room this morning; we certainly don’t get that kind of privilege, is he even paying to be here?”  
“That’s highly disturbing” Jimmy answered “But it’s nothing like what you’re thinking, I’m here for you” he said looking away purposely and not addressing anyone in particular “and tomorrow you will have my undivided attention I promise” he stated pulling himself up with a vigour he didn’t actually possess and leaving before anymore demands could be made of him tonight. He had a lot to dwell on it seemed including a very creepy landlord.


	11. Chapter 11

Dean woke to the sound of Jimmy’s phone buzzing on the side stand. He ignored it and from the bed he could hear Jim sleeping effortlessly through the annoying noise. He’d stayed the night again not trusting the group within his newly restored family home, they were becoming unruly. Of course he couldn’t do this forever he had a whole territory to defend from a whole host of threats; so he decided just one wrong move and that would be the end of this lots vacation time. Beautiful sex freaks or not he had his limits and rebellious behaviour was definitely one of them.  
Dean shifted and stretched, slowly waking up. He’d only slept lightly but his dreams had been full of sex again, of a carpet of faceless bodies all writhing against each other. It had been more like a horrific re-watching of society than anything sexy but his body had responded anyway which was disturbing to say the least. It was all this watching and no touching, it was driving him mad. He needed to get laid, properly laid with another person kind of laid and soon.  
The phone buzzed again and this time Jimmy reached for it pulling it into the heap of blankets where he was buried. His voice was like dry gravel as he rumbled his customary polite ‘hello’ as if still holding a shred of hope that this was going to be a call that he might want to take. A minute later and he was running his usual tired string of excuses of ‘no’ and ‘sorry’, and ‘no’ again. He hung up with a drawn out sigh which was followed by some colourful cussing as he realised the time   
“Fuck I forgot how much I hated work!” Jimmy grouched heaving himself up.  
Dean huffed a laugh at his expense, call this work? Ha! The years he’d spent hustling and cheating for a few measly dollars, now that was work, what this guy did didn’t even compare.  
Jim stumbled round the room picking up his clothes from where he’d left them and shuffled out to get started. Stomping ungracefully down the stairs and banging the pans around petulantly as he went about preparing breakfast.  
Dean left him too it, he had real work to do, a territory to protect, he bolted out eager to run a parameter check only images of Rebecca kept flitting across his brain every other god damned second. It was distracting to say the least; he u turned back to the small cluttered bathroom sink waiting for him at the lodge and how was this his life? Release was fast and sharp; desperately unsatisfying and left him feeling somehow colder. Dean dug for his phone, this was not his life, he had Lisa. He was shocked as he scrolled down his call history exactly how long ago now their last tryst was, he defiantly qualified as a born again virgin at this point. He dialled her number and sure it was still kind’a early but the sleepy voice that answered was a little too croaky and deep to ever be okay.  
“Lise?” Dean asked unsure, obviously it wasn't but whoever it was sounded somehow familiar  
“Who is this?”  
“What do you mean who is this?” Dean asked bemused “This is Lisa’s phone who the hell are you?”  
“Uh” the nameless voice muttered as if needing the answerer to that himself “I think I need help...”  
“Come again buddy?”  
“Please!” And he sounded like he was waking up now “Can you send help?”  
There was some shuffling, then another voice in the back ground; it was Lisa’s “Honey?” She said sounding curious and thankfully nothing more “Honey, are you awake?”  
Dean was relieved to hear that she sounded okay but honey? It had only been what? Okay maybe more than a few weeks admittedly, but already intimate enough with some new squeeze to be calling him honey? Dean tried not to bristle.  
Everything became muted save for the harsh scrape of fabric too close to the receiver their end and a sharp pop or two which had Dean flinching back from his attempts to strain his ears enough to make out what was going on   
“Please!” The mystery voice came again, lower and more secretive now “I’m begging you here! Help me!”  
Dean was thoroughly confused but something about the twang of the guy’s accent was defiantly ringing a bell “The reporter guy! from the hospital your him right!”  
“Yes!” He gasped enthusiastically “Yes that’s me! You know I’m missing then! Thank god! Well I’m at this woman’s house, her name’s Lisa Braden, I think, can you help? Please I need help!”  
“So...” Dean said recalling his dislike for the guy “How’s that story of yours coming along? Found any new leads? I guess you’ve checked the bedroom already but what about her pants?”  
“Leads?” He asked sounding confused again “Well yeah I was asking round it’s my job but no you don’t understand! I was lured here!”  
“Uh-huh”  
“She’s a succubus!”  
“Honey?” Lisa’s voice sounded louder “Is that you? Who are you talking to?”  
“No, no one, no!” his voice trailed off nervously  
There was a brief shuffling, some muffled voices then “Dean! Hi! long time no see, what have you been up to?” Lisa chirped over brightly down the phone.  
“Not nearly as much as you” Dean said trying but failing at hiding any animosity   
“Ah” Lisa said “sorry babe, but, a girl’s got needs”  
“Yeah yeah” Dean replied letting it go like a man “I know we weren’t exclusive or nothing but that dweeb? Really?”  
“Needs must” She sighed “and hey, he’s sweet”  
Dean grimaced at the possible implications of that “Well glad you’re keeping busy” he lied “but I gotta warn you Lise he’s a reporter for the enquirer”  
“Really?” Lisa said sounding distracted the shake and shuffle of the phone being pinched between her shoulder and ear before she continued “That thing still happens?” She said over brightly “Who the hell even reads it?”  
“I um, don’t know” Dean slowly answered his alpha senses tingling “but you might be he’s next scoop, recons he’s bagged a succubus” he laughed.  
“Ha! Can you believe that?” Lisa said loud enough for Dean’s new alpha sensitivities to now pick up on a very nervous edge hidden there. He liked Lisa, really liked her, she was a nice girl with a great kid. Shit. If Sam were here he’d have known instantly what to do in this situation, Dean didn’t; but then Sam wasn't the one on a ‘friends with benefits’ terms, he had nothing to lose. Dean on the other hand was battling with his loyalty to pack and loyalty to one of his closest, okay only, friends. Dean swallowed hard as he scrambled in his uncertainty; the dry click of his throat constricting filling the too long a void between them was loud and somehow very ominous.  
“Do you know how we met?” Lisa asked her tone steadier and a good deal sharper now “we were at the bar and Aaron here was telling me all about some werewolf story he was chasing up down your neck of the woods. Didn’t think too much of it but you always did have a very superhuman stamina about you didn’t you Dean. The first and only guy to ever to walk away from my company, I should have known that there was a little more too you”  
“Was never easy” Dean replied a heavy dose of boyish charm covering the aversion running through his veins at the now forever altered memory. He always had felt bad after a night with Lisa, always notched it up to an unusually wierd hangover or dehydration after everything that went on between them, but yeah could also have been the fact that she was eating him that had him near crawling away back to the safety of his room to recuperate “And I always came back” he added meekly because hell, he did.   
“Will you be back now?”  
“Maybe” his stomach turned even as he said it, succubus were cruel evil things leaving their victims chewed up and spat out on a roadside for some poor unwitting bastard to find. Still this was Lisa and that had never happened here, that he knew of, and she was a friend at the end of the day even if ... it’s not like anyone got to choose what they were “Look just be careful with that one you hear?”  
“Course” She said “always am! Well except for that one time with Ben’s father... ” She joked  
Dean laughed with her trying to recall what had happened to the man, ‘just up’ed and left’, that’s what she’d said, and shit his imagination was already running wild with scenarios. Dean guessed that at the very least he’d never feel the same around her again.  
They talked a little more before saying good bye. It felt like the big goodbye that comes as two significant’s become not so significant anymore. Not that they ever were, he’d never wanted to turn her, he wondered about that for a while if he instinctively knew she wasn't the right one deep down. He also wondered about that reporter guy, what was his name again? Aaron, there hadn’t been another peep out of him in all that time. Dean didn’t know what to do about that. The right thing seemed risky after all, he was a reporter and on the side of hunters, but the wrong thing wasn't right either.... it was too much to consider. After hanging up Dean turned to wolf form letting it all go, embracing the simpler wild nature of his animal self and went out to defend what was his, this he could do and with a clear conscious.  
The exercise helped settle him somewhat but what he found out on the tracks had him wound up in a completely different way. It smelt like clay, like soft earth foreign to this rocky region that had somehow trekked across his territory. Dean followed the scent that walked with huge humanoid feet and wide steps for miles over the lower foot hills headed toward town.   
Dean didn’t know what to make of it, only that whatever it was had passed through recently perhaps only hours or so ago and at some pace for him not to catch up. Again he didn’t know what to do, go into town like this and risk fighting whatever it was in board daylight or try digging around in John’s old hunter books and find out what it was he was going up against? It was big, and he’d had such trouble with the last few monsters he’d squared off against. He jogged back to the lodge to call Sam the walking research library who was already in town, if he didn’t know what it was then he’d at least have a heads up that something was coming.  
Dean jogged quickly passed the house, everything looked fine there. The guests were sitting out on the lawn again and Balthazar was offering about out his little pills as per usual, only those pills seemed different somehow. Dean slowed to a stop; that was Viagra, Lisa had given him some the first time they’d slept together, she’d said after how he really hadn’t needed it, he’d preened at the time, now, well now he was pulling an expression much like the one Jimmy was currently wearing.   
“You too” Balthazar said rattling the plastic container in Jimmy’s face  
“No thank you” Jimmy answered, his eyes like saucers as he watched the pills going down like they were the last sands of his own time slipping away  
“But you must!” Balthazar insisted rattling again.   
Jimmy took one to study “Um how long before they uh hit?” He asked  
“Twenty minutes” Balthazar smiled checking his watch “At most”  
“And for how long exactly will it last?”  
“This stuff, my friend, is reputed to last six hours”  
“Oh fuck” Jimmy muttered burying his face in his hands and conveniently ditching his pill  
“Literally! Six hours of it! Now come on!” Balthazar encouraged handing him a new pill “it’s what we’re all here for”  
Jimmy blew a long defeated breath “Better go and get the room prepped then”  
Dean was about to go, he honestly was but Jimmy’s hand had found his shoulder to caress the fur there. His exhaustion was palpable and he needed the interaction, Dean accompanied him inside keeping pace loyally as well it was sort of in the right direction and he could feel he the lightening of Jim’s emotional burden with every step until they parted ways inside. Jim left him to start preparations in the den and Dean made a break through the kitchen, where he passed Rebecca, who was gathering up everything from the electric hand whisk and culinary tools to larger salad vegetables. His feet stopped abruptly, his eyes stuck fast. Rebecca’s arms were full yet still she paused to consider Kate’s vase collection. There was no way he was missing this, he rushed back called Sam who predictably didn’t answer but it didn’t matter he already had his message sorted “Sam something big headed your way smells like clay travels fast watch yourself” With that job done he rushed back to catch Rebecca’s latest lesson on extreme sex techniques, the kitchen edition.   
~  
Rebecca smiled like a Cheshire cat “Finally” she said kissing Jimmy’s cheek as she exited the room of fallen comrades left listless abandoned on the floor in her wake “I’m feeling it! You know, better!”  
“Good” Jimmy said very sincerely “You deserve to, but I have a confession to make, I let you do most of the work this time”  
“Perhaps I should start one of these things up for myself” Rebecca teased  
“You’d be awesome, but your step down would leave the economy reeling”  
“Don’t remind me!” Rebecca mock scowled “Honestly I’m surrounded by utter morons”  
“I think you’d find that everywhere” Jimmy said sympathetically. “Um could I possibly get my phone back? When you’re ready of course I know a few things followed it up, uh, you”  
“Oh yes” Rebecca giggled blushing delicately, the warm glow about her pronounced cheek bones making her look almost angelic “The vibration on that thing’s incredible!”  
“Yet still I manage to sleep through it more often than not” Jim said smiling slightly as Rebecca wiggled her torso while fumbling under her hastily thrown on robe till she produced the phone between wet fingers.  
“Not this time, I may have accidently answered it”  
“I can’t imagine what that must have sounded like” Jimmy said taking it from her gingerly “You never hung up” he said accusingly, listening to the dead air for a moment before hanging up “It was Naomi, god knows what she’ll make of that”  
“God knows what that prude makes of anything” Rebecca huffed with false exasperation “Rather you than me with that one, if I ever needed any convincing to stick with the day job than that bitch would be it”  
“Hmm” Jimmy sighed sobering at the reminder “Come on everyone up! I need to clean” he said shaking life back into the bodies curled up on the cushions. “Come on Balthazar up!”   
“Give me a minute!” Balthazar moaned feeling sorer than ever before, sore and sober enough to regret the Viagra in fact. Somehow he’d missed the warm wrecked afterglow he’d normally get from one of these things and gone straight to the crash he associated with leaving Jimmy’s presents. He squinted up in semi bitter confusion to where Jimmy hovered blithely above everyone picking up bits and shooing them all lovelessly away. He felt offended he’d actually given of himself this time, as well as taken part in some acts that he’d rather not think of again, ever. A wave of humiliation and disgust shivered through his exhausted body “How can you still have an ounce of energy after all that?” he snapped exhausted  
Jimmy restrained himself from smiling, there was no way he could have sustained something that long not that he’d felt inclined to even try. He’d just provided a minimal amount of magic to keep everyone under the impression that they’d wanted whatever Rebecca dished up as she had her way with them. He pulled on his marigolds with an exaggerated flourish “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you”   
Balthazar screwed his face up tighter “I swear you get more sexual gratification from cleaning than you do actually shagging people”  
“There is a Karma to be found in the simple act of cleaning its true”  
Balthazar watched enviously as Jimmy busied himself bustling about in a calm and satisfied kind of way. He’d paid for that feeling, not the tender uncomfortable state he was currently in. “Here let me try on those bloody gloves on” Balthazar demanded petulantly grasping for the cleaning equipment so to snag Jim’s attention because he wasn't really about to clean someone else’s floors, that was below him.  
“No!” Jim snapped his whole demeanour suddenly changing “get out” He said firmly pulling Balthazar up and pushing him toward the door.  
Dean felt the air crackle from where he still lay unnoticed, he sat up expectantly.  
Balthazar’s eyes grew wide at the rejection but he wasn't taken by fear, Jimmy hadn’t used his magic on him, instead he stared Balthazar down till he quietly left of his own accord.  
Dean wondered why Jimmy didn’t do that more often. He had a fierce side to him, apparently, that didn’t him away like using his magic did. Perhaps he just didn’t fear Balthazar too much.  
Jimmy threw himself back into cleaning the room till his anger ebbed.  
Dean stretched himself out comfortably again content to just watch some more. Balthazar was right Jimmy did get more out of the cleaning than anything else that went on. There was nothing but contentment flowing off the guy now everyone was gone and he was alone with his marigolds and products. Dean wallowed in the feeling fooling himself into believing that he was keeping guard rather than just enjoying the peaceful tone of the room. He still half expected some sort of mutiny from Balthazar and the like. Still suspected that a group of hapless townies like this in the middle of nowhere was a huge calling beacon to all the weird trouble out there that kept cropping up. Definitely wasn't in any way enjoying the view of Jimmy on all fours inspecting the floor for any missed puddles or stains.  
His paws flexed, long toes curling inward as Jimmy’s top rode up to above his hip as he scrubbed hard on a particularly soaked in stain. While his human side dozed in the calm contentment Dean’s wolf side was obsessing with thoughts of knotting again.  
Jimmy scooched back to begin a new patch, the wriggle and flex of muscle in his movement arresting the wolfs already piqued attention.  
Jimmy sat back slowly on his heels at the sound of a deep rumbling from behind. He turned slowly to meet Jerk’s eyes fixed on him. He’d forgotten the animal was there but now every hair on his body was alert to the fact that he was being watched intensely like prey. He swallowed involuntarily as he wondered if the can of spray polish in his hand would be enough to see the dog off if it came at him. He didn’t know why he thought it would but the way it was staring, so intensely, made him feel like prey.  
Jerk growled again, deep and low lifting his head as he did as if to scent the air.  
Jimmy eyes darted down to the glint of drool exposed under Jerk’s muzzle “OUT!” Jimmy snapped waking Dean up from his slumber just as a hit of chemical cleaner hit his over sensitive nose. He scrambled up away from the sharp taste as Jimmy shooed him out of the room through the hall and into the kitchen.  
“Stay!” Jimmy commanded shutting the door through to the rest of the house trapping Jerk in the kitchen. As the door clicked shut in his hand Jimmy heard the turn and swing of the french doors beyond opening. He pushed back into the kitchen, Jerk was gone and the previously locked doors to the garden were now hanging open “How the hell?” Jim muttered poking his head out confused. The yard around the house was being lit up by headlights pulling up round the front of the house, Jimmy froze “who the hell?” He wondered shutting the French doors again and making sure this time to lock them before creeping back into the hall to investigate.  
Balthazar was creeping down the stairs, as their eyes met Balthazar’s whispered “It’s Naomi!”   
Jimmy paled.   
The crunch of the cars wheels coming to a stop on the gravel outside was deafeningly loud. The lighter crunch of feet getting out and ascending the porch steps getting closer had both Jimmy and Balthazar holding their breath in a futile bid to go unnoticed.   
The knock was thunderous  
Jimmy glanced again to Balthazar wordlessly asking if he was sure it was her  
Balthazar nodded minutely  
Jimmy steeled himself “I guess I should answer”  
“Get rid of her if you can” Balthazar rasped  
“I’ll see what I can do”  
Jim opened the door and stepped out, he was flanked immediately by three men all dressed in generic black outfits. They each eyed him up carefully; Jimmy knew not to argue and submitted to a pat down when one of them wordlessly approached him. Satisfied they stepped purposely aside allowing him to pass. Jim stepped cautiously through to where Naomi was sat in the back of a black SUV parked ungracefully on the lawn. She was dressed all in white and looked, despite her age, utterly resplendent.   
~  
Dean had had no luck in getting a hold of Sam again; he’d briefly searched through his dad’s books and even online but had found nothing on clay smelling monsters. Agitated he grabbed his keys and jumped into his car to find out what was going on, surely he had enough stuff in the boot to kill whatever it was anyway, he’d be fine.  
He pulled hastily away too aware of how he’d already put this off too long only to find two black cars blocking the single track drive by the house. “Mother fuckers” he muttered pulling onto the grass to drive round the impromptu road block. If he felt pissed whoever they were were really pissed as they piled out to try stop him.  
Dean grinned as he left them for dirt only to find another two vehicles blocking the way again at the main road, this time he couldn’t go round due to the encroaching woods.  
“What the hell!” Dean shouted pulling up  
“State your name and business now Sir!” Three generically dressed men stepped up aggressively, they were wearing Kevlar and were armed   
“I live here!” Dean replied offended  
“This is now a restricted area” Generic man informed him “I need to know where you came from”  
“My house”  
“We have the house and residents surrounded....”  
“What?” Dean growled an alpha fuelled rage growing inside him  
“I, I” the generic man stuttered shaken by Dean’s powerful tone  
“I need you to repeat that” Dean growled “And put aside those weapons”  
Slowly the men started to comply unable to resist an alpha command “We’re here to safe guard the the...”  
“The what?” Dean enquired but the man who was shaken before was too distressed to speak now, instead he lifted his hand to point behind Dean. Dean looked round the group that he’d passed earlier had been trying to sneak up on him, had, they were now caught out into the open prey to a wendigo which was throwing them around like toys.   
“Shit” Dean muttered walking round to the boot of his car to dig for something silver. He was out of bullets being were he’d never topped up, all he had was his knives which required getting in close.  
“W What is that?” The men whimpered off to one side  
Dean had forgotten about them, they still obediently refused to reach for their guns despite the looming threat “A monster” Dean answered “And one of the worst kind but don’t worry, your friends have it occupied you can all skedaddle I got this”  
The black cars screeched off leaving Dean too it.   
Dean fought hard. The Wendigo fought dirty, escaping when it realised it couldn’t win to hide in the woods. Dean listened to it creeping round.  
“Come on!” He called taunting it “What are you waiting for?” Dean looked around, it had killed three men, their cooling corpses littered the ground around him. It wanted to eat, it needed to get stronger. Dean pulled the bodies closer together “You want these? Come on come and get them!”  
The Wendigo howled in rage stomping closer   
“Oh for fucks sake! Really!” Balthazar’s whiny voice came load and clear from the house just out of view  
The Wendigo’s head snapped round and in a flash it disappeared to make a new kill  
“Fuck” Dean muttered to his now redundant pile of bodies.  
~  
“It feels creepy out here” Hanna whispered from where she huddled for warmth between Rebecca and Urial. They were all out on the porch in nothing but robes and night wear while Naomi’s goons guarded the doors.   
Something flashed by in the distance behind them, something dark, in the dark.  
“Did you see that?” Hanna asked  
“See what?” Urial said disinterested  
“I’m not sure” Hanna said turning to watch the dark just as Dean stepped up into the porch light making everyone jump  
“What’s happening?” Dean asked “Why are you all out here?”  
“Naomi” Urial spat  
“Who?” Dean asked growing ever more pissed  
“Naomi!” Balthazar explained “the biggest cow to ever cow has arrived. Apparently she tracked Cas’ phone and now...”  
“Cas?” Hanna asked  
“Jimmy’s other, other name” Urial explained  
“Which means what?” Dean asked  
“Our holiday is screwed” Rebecca pouted  
Dean had heard enough “I’m going to need to all inside there’s been a wild animal sighting out here”  
“We can’t!” Urial said “even with you” he paused to wrinkle his nose in disgust “smelling like that! She’s worse”  
Balthazar pinched his nose as the smell caught up to him “Have you been washing in corpse lately or something?”  
“Ha ha!” Dean laughed but when he looked down at himself he was covered in something gross, he guessed Wendigo’s didn’t wipe their faces after they feasted and this one’s last meal smelt suspiciously of pulped zombie, why hadn’t he noticed that earlier? “Seriously I need you all in now” he said feeling horribly self conscious.  
“We uh, we can’t” Hanna explained “Naomi’s a like powerfully scary in our circles”  
“Right” Dean said not caring and striding up to the house  
“No you really can’t” Balthazar warned, but he did.  
Another three guards in black made to stop him, the smell on Dean had two gagging and Dean pushed the other aside to knock on the library door which was closed so obviously occupied.   
“Jim you in there?” Dean hollered “Listen I need you to get your people inside and the doors locked we got a problem”  
“Can you give me maybe ten minutes?” Cas answered  
Dean prayed for patience “Look, whatever you think is big in there, trust me, what I got out here is bigger. I need full cooperation on this and now”  
The door creaked open a tiny bit “I really need ten minutes” Cas said through the gap and Dean glimpsed how thick with magic the room was back there. “If you maybe, subdued? The guard’s people could come in I mean that’s all that’s really stopping them but I’ve got to finish this”  
“Fine” Dean said turning to deal with the guards who had now reassembled and pulled weapons. Dean “Play dead” Dean ordered his voice deeper and harsher than ever before. The guards dropped lifelessly to the ground and Dean pushed them roughly into the closet. “Okay now everyone in!”   
The guests obeyed and scarpered like rats up the stairs.   
Outside the Wendigo loomed. Dean could hear it crunching around, and weren’t they meant to be spirits? He was sure that he’d read they were spirits so why... oh it was crunching on a guard and powering up, taunting Dean as it savoured it’s feast.   
Well that was it he needed a gun. Dean remembered Balthazar saying he had one in his boot, a quick sniff round the cars and Dean found Balthazar’s sweet little Chevrolet. It was locked of course but what was the point of being called a supernatural monster if you couldn’t use you strength to bust into a car or two.  
The weapon’s inside had Dean stop to gasp for a moment, but only for a moment that crunching was seriously annoying. He needed silver; an expensive watch sparkled from a shelf by the glove compartment inside the car. Chances were it would be white gold or worse titanium but right now it was all Dean had. He bust the window and grabbed it pulling the strap to pieces to load a very ornate old pistol with. He took aim and fired hitting the Wendigo in the chest   
It screamed a moment in shock before recovering and running straight at him  
“Shit wasn’t silver” Dean muttered, he didn’t know what to do now the thing was charged and coming fast, he lobbed the gun superhumanly hard at it.  
The Wendigo dissipated in a cloud of black ash.   
Dean wasn't sure if that really counted as being shot but at least it was gone for now. He went back inside locking the doors securely behind him.   
From the library a few inhuman sounds were obviously coming to a head. Dean patiently waited   
Eventually the door opened, the air behind it soup thick and sparkling with static. Naomi stepped out and despite looking debouched launched herself at Dean  
“No one occupies the same building as me! This is a serious breach of security!” She ranted before taking stock of her surroundings “Where’s my guard?” She asked finding that she was alone, refusing to be deterred she pointed her finger at Dean “Do you have any idea who I am?”  
“No not really” Dean said looking beyond her mussed up hair and seeing Jim struggling to lever himself up against the library desk. Blood trickled like a tear from his eye. Dean had no idea what had happened but he didn’t like the look of that “You lady are going now” he growled.  
Naomi gasped “but you, you can’t tell me” she said even as her feet obeyed the command, her natural instincts screaming at her to get away from the threat “Guards! Where the fuck are they?” She said panic rising in her whole demeanour   
“Go now” Dean barked eyes flashing red.  
Naomi struggled with the bolts and stumbled out to her car driving herself hurriedly out of there.  
Dean glared up the stairs and any watching eyes instantly disappeared. He went to help Jim grabbing him roughly around the shoulders pulling him up “You’re exhausted” Dean scolded because Jimmy knew better than to let himself get this weak! The blood trickled faster at the rough treatment and he flopped weakly into Dean’s shoulder. Dean panicked when Jim made no effort to stand on his own, just hung there like putty in his grasp.  
“She’s very demanding” Cas finally panted   
“Customer of yours?” Dean smirked with relief  
“No” Cas said looking round shakily “is she gone?”  
Dean glimpsed the tail hanging strangely limp as Jim backed away only to fall against the desk again   
“Get some rest” Dean said pulling him up again and he was so light, almost not there. Dean escorted him to the den lying him down on the couch with a throw draped over him hiding the tail. Cas/ Jim was out like a light leaving Dean standing there listening to all the whispered voices up the stairs talking about what just happened, how Dean had just ordered Naomi like that, how his eyes had flashed red, how he was something, something other.   
They didn’t know what of course, but they were clearly afraid.  
Dean turned down the lights and turned a chair to watch the tree line for any more trouble. Eventually the whispers died down and silence filled the house. Dean sighed with relief and buckled down for what he guessed would be a very long night.


	12. Chapter 12

By sun rise there was one most defiantly dead Wendigo.  
Dean rubbed dirt stained hands across his sweaty brow, he’d cleared all the remains from the dead guards off of the lawn and shown any others that had happened to turn up, including those he’d stashed in the cupboard, the road out with instructions to forget they were ever here. They wasted no time in following Dean’s orders taking their cars and any other evidence of their ever being there with them.   
Dean watched the last of them go; all in all things were looking decidedly brighter he thought mentally patting himself on another job well done before returning inside to take stock of the situation.  
Cas, and Dean was never going to get used to that name but anyhoo, Cas was still asleep where Dean had left him. He looked pale; Dean threw another comforter over him and took a seat in the corner where he could comfortably see the central hall way of the house plus some of the driveway leading to the road through a window. Everything was quiet and remarkably beautiful in the soft early light. Dean didn’t have a clue how he was going to handle this from here. Waiting to see how things panned out seemed the best option so he waited, nodding in and out of a light sleep till finally he heard the faint stirrings of people waking up above him.   
It was another hour before anyone bucked up the courage to creep down, Dean listened to them tiptoeing around making their way to the kitchen. It was hard to get a clear read on the general feelings of the group from this distance but unease seemed to be most dominant vibe he was picking up on. Unease and hunger, which turned to irritable frustration as time passed and breakfast was still not laid out.  
Dean glared at anyone looking into the den to fix the situation; they would have to help themselves today something that was as alien to them as the supernatural if all the banging, burning and swearing was anything to go by. Dean was just about ready to go save his kitchen when things finally settled down; it was then that the whispering started. This was what he was waiting for, he propped himself up straining his ears to pick up what he could.  
Clearly they all remembered enough to know things weren’t right. Some were bright enough to sense that they were in some sort of danger here; knowing instinctively that they needed to get out and fast. Others were less willing to fear what they didn’t understand and grew evermore excited as the discussion went on, and then there were those who saw this mystery as a means to make money. Those were the ones Dean had feared, he hoped the more cautious ones would shut them down but once the potential to profit was made everyone else fell silent, they were sitting on something big here something that the rest of the world would want to know about.  
“Shit” Dean muttered because they had already launched into full blown scheming, he jumped up from his chair and stormed through “Right time to go!” he announced firmly.  
The huddle of people gathered round the table quickly broke apart everyone whipping round to face him. They all knew to fear him everyone remembered that much; everyone but Balthazar who actually made his living flirting this close with danger.  
“But we’ve paid up front for another two days” Balthazar said arrogantly, “Plus I think we need some convincing to keep our mouths shut on what I think we’ve stumbled on here”  
And that was it no one had a clue what they had witnessed, only that they had all seen things. Balthazar however was confident he knew enough. Dean grit his jaw and bit “And what’s that?” he asked  
“Alpha blood” Balthazar smirked  
“What?” Everyone asked confused out of their fear  
“I read about it in an ancient book of power I uh, acquired” Balthazar explained, “It’s like the blue blood of true Royalty, only for monsters”   
Everyone sniggered braking out into full blown laughs  
“Monsters!” Urial said between guffaws’ “Risk to national security perhaps ordering Naomi around like his own personal bitch” he said gesturing to Dean like he was nothing but a piece of furniture “but monsters? That?”  
“Royal monster no less” Hanna added before becoming serious “But why would Naomi’s goons defect so quick?”  
“Because they know the truth! What’s really out there!” Balthazar said arms waving wildly “Think about it! When does Naomi ever go anywhere without a full security detail sweeping the place first? Yet all we saw was five men! Who at that level goes anywhere with just five men? They knew they’d already lost when he” And Balthazar gestured to Dean “Made it to the porch! I bet that if we look just a little way into those woods we’d find a whole stash of bodies out there, Naomi’s included”  
Dean shuffled, they would, not Naomi and not all human but yeah, still bodies.  
Urial rolled his eyes “Could you possibly embellish this fantasy anymore? Naomi’s not dead, I’d know! And she’s still on the pay roll just like the rest of us!” he argued “Plus do you really think she’d get clearance for a full security sweep every time she needed a booty call? Or that she’d even risk exposing her private affairs so blatantly? Listen to yourself”  
“But this is Naomi” Rebecca stated “And she never backs down, something’s going on here, not monsters but something, something higher even than her”  
“God?” Hanna sniggered quietly  
“phish!” Urial sighed “And don’t anyone dare say sect”   
“Okay” Rebecca said slowly, “then one of those secret society things that all the world leaders have supposedly got to bow to”   
And they were off back to full blown arguing; whatever comradely they had previously going on between them gone. Dean exited the kitchen making his way to the desk where he knew Cas kept his cash. As he pulled open a draw his jaw dropped at how much was in there. Cas was going to need a bloody well, and soon. He grabbed a large portion of the draws contents and splashed it dramatically over the breakfast table, food and arguments be damned!  
“Is that enough to convince you all to go home?” Dean asked   
There was silence as everyone observed the cash. Dean’s offer was certainly a lot easier than taking Urial’s ridicule or taking Balthazar’s wild X-file theories any longer. But and there was always a but...  
“Does this come with a threat?” Urial asked his eyes narrowing suspiciously  
“No” Dean said confidently   
“We just go home and live happily ever after?”   
Dean had to wonder what line of work Urial was involved in “Yep”  
Urial took a few rolls, nodded to Dean like he knew what he knew and left, leading the way for everyone to follow. Everyone cleared out after him, everyone except Balthazar   
“I’m right though, aren’t I?”  
“You’re nuts” Dean answered   
“But I’m right!” Balthazar persisted following Dean around the kitchen as he began picking up round the kitchen belligerently   
“Seriously man!” Dean snapped “if I thought you knew where my beer was stashed I’d be killing you right now just buzz off already”   
“But I could still talk! We all could! Aren’t you going to use your influence? Order us to keep quiet?”  
“Go home” Dean groaned before remembering something and smiling to himself   
“What? What’s so funny?” Balthazar asked confused “Are you using your powers? Are you doing it now?”  
“What the hell?” Urial’s voice load with dismay echoed through the house from the porch where he stood open mouthed   
“Didn’t have anything important in the back of your car did you?” Dean asked casually.  
“What why?” Balthazar asked  
“Oh my” Hanna gasped from beside Urial “the cat’ ten prototypes”  
“The stolen prototypes” Urial corrected her sternly  
“Yeah” Hanna said confused because this was hush hush outside of work “how, how do you about that?”  
“CIA” Urial’s voice boomed with righteous fury “And you are?”  
“Part of the team that designed them, my ID” Hanna answered confidently  
“Oh shit” Balthazar muttered scrambling to find his feet   
Dean smirked pouring himself a coffee. Slowly he made his way to out on to the porch, not to help anyone though it sounded like they needed it, just to watch. Amazingly Balthazar got away but he’d left everything in doing so. His car was towed out by Urial and Dean had to wonder how he was going to explain that unexpected break in what sounded like a cold case. Still not his problem. He breathed a huge sigh of relief as the last car pulled away. Finally he could go about reclaiming his house; starting with making himself breakfast out of his fridge to enjoy in his own kitchen.  
~  
Cas stirred, the sounds cooking drawing him awake. He followed his nose to loom in the door way to the kitchen where Dean of all people was sitting eating some sort of sandwich “What’s happening?” he asked confused  
“What do you remember?” Dean replied looking up from his bacon waffle sandwich; he was in heaven it was written all over his face as he bit down into his treat  
“Naomi” Cas frowned recalling a few snap shots from the previous evening “And dream walking, I think?”   
“Is that what they’re calling it now?”  
“What were they calling it before?” Cas asked glancing around, the kitchen was a mess, the table covered literally covered with money, plates and bits of blackened toast and Dean was dribbling syrup down his already dubiously stained top “Where is everyone?” Cas asked trying but failing not to see it all.  
“Sent them home early”  
“Why?”  
“You’re sick” Dean said because, duh! “Plus I got pests outside so, why not”  
Cas stared at him a long time still not believing anything he was seeing “It’s filthy in here” he said eventually his eyes never leaving Dean  
“You’re not so hot yourself” Dean said gesturing to his face  
Cas followed the motion rubbing his own cheek and found what he thought was sleep grit to actually be dried blood. He stared at his stained hand confused, his head swimming; he looked back to Dean unsure how that had happened.  
Dean didn’t know what to tell him or how he could help other than the obvious “You hungry?” he asked because if Cas’ eyes flicked down to his sandwich one more time  
Cas swallowed cocking his head a little to one side “Your clothes” he said wrinkling his nose  
Dean glanced down “Yeah I’m getting round to it” he griped because never mind that he saved the territory and ditched the douches, the fact that he was slightly less than pristine was what really mattered wasn’t it. Dean looked down at himself again and well shit he was a mess, complete with a smattering of monster drool to boot. He took another bite of his sandwich pouring as much irritability into the motion as humanly possible before meeting Cas’ critical gaze again with a thouroghly ‘yeah so’ expression.  
Cas stared as if hypnotized by Dean’s every chew   
Dean held his gaze defiantly as long as he could but damn, he could smell it now. He pulled off his outer shirt bundling it up and tossing it away   
Cas watched absorbed in every detail of the motion, it didn’t make it any better the offending article was still too close to be sanitary along with the rest of Dean’s attire but his head was swimming and even the walls seemed to be turning as he felt to brace himself against anything solid “I could eat” he said sounding almost apologetic.   
Dean finished his sandwich in one and got to making another two.  
Somehow they spent the rest of the day together. Dean didn’t know why he stayed, it had just been so easy to hang out without speaking in wolf form for so long that he kind of fell into it now, quietly cleaning and restoring order to the house. He didn’t wear the gloves, he wasn't a pussy but he did follow Cas’ routine as he worked.   
Cas was half watching half sleeping curled up on whatever furniture the sun was hitting most. Dean found it funny how their positions had now changed. The wash cycle ended and Dean retrieved more towels to keep the washing machine fed, its soft rhythmic engine the only sound throughout the house for too long now  
“Are you okay?” Dean asked when he couldn’t take not knowing any longer  
“I’m fine” Cas sighed  
Dean carried on cleaning because what else could he do? It wasn’t as if their kind could just waltz into a hospital or call out a specialist doctor, and he was pretty sure no one was going to be keeping records on how to fix monsters like they did on disposing of them. He just busied himself with what he could do and tried not to think about it too much.   
They didn’t discuss the strange objects Dean found himself cleaning or what he was cleaning off of them. Dean was on his knees when he found a familiar dildo under the couch. It was Rebecca’s black inflatable one. He picked it up reverently appreciating its weird weightyness as memories of it in use went straight to his groin. Shit he needed to get laid, but man Lisa was a monster! A hot monster, could he work round this? No not if she was still with that reporter dweeb and he was wiped after last night and hungry now that he thought about it. He wandered back out into the kitchen and honest to God gasped at how good it looked. Mary would have marvelled that he’d done all this without being punished; he didn’t really give two shits for cleanliness himself but paused in horror when cheese flakes from the frozen pizza he pulled out fell onto his flawless counter. He popped the pizza into the oven before it could wreck any more harm and scooped up the offending crumbs, squinting from every angle down the counter surface encase he’d missed any.  
“What are you doing?” Cas asked from the door way  
“Nothing, uh pizza. Give it about thirty minutes”  
Cas nodded his eyes going wide as a phone started buzzing on the table  
“S’okay it’s mine” Dean said darting toward it “Go back to sleep I’ll call when it’s ready” He said retreating a little to take the call “Yo, Sammy!”  
“Dean!” Sam’s said urgently “Have you heard? Lisa’s place got wrecked last night”  
And oh shit monster or no he couldn’t stand to see her hurt “Is she?”  
“She’s fine!” Sam said “She and Ben were out at the time. But Dean the whole back wall to her house, it’s been smashed through, literally”  
“What happened?”  
“No one knows, nothing was taken. Jody’s got it all tapped off so I can’t get too close right now but there’s some clay residue on the ground, not much but I remembered your text”  
“And what about Aaron?”  
“Aaron?”  
“The reporter guy he”  
“From the hospital? What about him?”  
“Where is he?”  
“Uh” Sam looked round for the hundredth time “There’s no sign of him”   
“He must have had something to do with it did it Sam, he was there” Dean persisted   
“What do you mean? Lisa never mentioned anyone else and I’ve not seen him since the hospital” Sam randomly scanned what he could see of the scene again as he was spoke, he like everyone else in the neighbourhood was watching very closely from the neighbouring lawn “Are you sure?”  
“Yes!” Dean answered “he answered her phone when I called last night”  
Sam’s eyes landed on a white phone amongst the rubble littered across Lisa’s bed “Oh” He said awkwardly “So does that mean that you guys are, um?”  
Dean rolled his eyes, he could just feel Sam was going working up to something feelingish “Really it’s no big deal” he said nipping the chick flick in the bud  
Sam’s eye brows shot up because that was cold even from someone as allergic to feelings as Dean was. He cleared his throat and tried spoon feeding his brother the correct response anyway “Sooo... I shouldn’t offer her a place to stay while..”  
“NO!” Dean snapped “No, she uh” Dean remembered the times he’d rather enthusiastically boasted his exploits with Lisa to Sam, shit he didn’t want to have to confess any weird monster kinks if this all came out, it was going to be another thing on the list of things never to be spoken of again “she doesn’t play nice”  
“Oh, okay? Sooo, I’ll just lurk round here a while and see what else turns up then I guess” Sam said sounding frustrated “Dean, are you okay? Really I mean, because wow man, real cold”  
“Yeah look I’ll explain all of this to you later man okay? You’ll totally get it then i promise”  
“Why not tell me now?”  
“Because...” and the reasons were one, slight chance Sam would forget, two slight chance Dean would have found a way to tell this and still come out looking like the man, and three either one of them may have done something far weirder by then “Because I’m not exactly alone here”  
“Fine, but I’m not forgetting about this, speak soon then” Sam said hanging up.  
Dean pocketed his phone absently wondering whether him being there would help solve anything any quicker. A crash from the living room knocked him off that train of thought and running through the house instead. Cas was sat awkwardly on the floor, cleaning products scattered all around him. Dean was already there to upright them and started putting them to use as Cas readjusted himself into a far more comfortable position.   
Dean rethought what Sam had told him, rethought his reasoning for not housing a friend, a succubus, even temporarily in the den of ex hunters come werewolves and soon to be occupied by sex obsessed city dicks. It was messed up, all of it. Lisa had lied to him, used him, and sure he hadn’t been up front about everything himself but he wasn’t slowly killing her with each shag. She never actually killed him though and as far as evidence went he couldn’t prove she’d killed anyone. Still he wasn’t sure he could face her again so soon and she defiantly couldn’t feed here.... his traitorous dick twitched at the idea of action, any sort of action, and well apparently she could! Apparently he had overestimated his ability to hold or maintain any kind of standard. It was actually worth considering, just till her house was fixed, but it would be at the cost of him being too weak to keep any monsters at bay, at a time when monsters were rife, and imagine explaining that to the rest of the pack ‘yeah I lost it all to some teeny tiny fairy (and it would be with his luck) because I needed to get my end wet and a sex monster was all I had to do it with at the time’ They’d be ‘oh well that’s okay then because you couldn’t just wank that off could you?’ But man, he was wanking at any given opportunity and still the need to get some some proper action was top priority as far as his downstairs brain went.   
“You don’t have to” Cas said his hand on Dean’s stilling his frantic polishing and causing his thought train to come to a crashing hail “I can fix this later”  
“Shut up” Dean replied unheated but authoritive all the same, and yeah since when did he start competing for cleaner of the year award? “Maybe I’ll just watch dinner heat” He said getting up. He didn’t think about it any of it any further, not that it did him any good. After they had eaten wordlessly together he admitted defeat, he was tired and agitated. “I should probably go” Dean said not wanting to be a drag  
“Don’t” Cas said so weakly Dean should have missed it   
Dean eyed Cas suspiciously, surely he couldn’t mean that?   
“Um, you don’t have to” Cas said very carefully not looking up “that is. I’d feel better if you didn’t”  
It was an admission of weakness and Dean quietly huffed a laugh that Cas’ expense, a pack member would never... but Cas wasn’t pack he reminded himself. Cas wasn’t anything, so why was he still hanging around helping the guy like this? The answers came thick and fast from Dean’s subconscious; because it’s good to be in your own house, to be needed, acknowledged even for your worth. It stroked his ego he had to admit but he wanted more, to know Cas wasn’t just using him or worse tolerating him quietly like he did everyone else. He wanted to know how Cas felt about him really, needed to know in fact. Dean concentrated on reading Cas’ emotional state and found that Cas was strangely silent. Maybe he still needed to hone his skills, he felt caught between eerie silence and utter relief that a generator which he had had to tolerate till now had just been switched off.  
Cas’ phone buzzed on the table between them, the screen read Raphael.  
Cas hit ignore so fast Dean actually flinched.  
“Bad client?” Dean asked  
Cas turned the cell off dumping it in a basket of dry towels where it slipped down out of view   
“You’ll lose it.” Dean warned mildly.  
Cas just shrugged.   
Dean really didn’t know what to do with that. He fidgeted for something to do, something that would stop him starting a conversation about feelings and Cas’ lack thereof, something that would get his mind off of how long it had been since he last got laid and how long it was likely to be till he fixed that. “Want to watch a film?”   
Cas shrugged again. Dean pushed up and wandered out to den anyway, he didn’t care what was on just so long as it filled the space round him. He grabbed the first thing that came to hand, Star wars, somehow it was always Star wars like the universe required it somehow.  
Cas hovered in the door way, Dean glared at him from the sofa where he’d settled “If you’re watching then sit and watch”  
“Do you mind?”   
Feeling mean Dean didn’t answer. Cas crept in and sat on the floor opposite to observe. At some point Dean fell asleep and awoke to find they’d somehow moved on to the empire strikes back  
“So you like star wars” He commented absently, after all it wasn’t many people who could do all three movies in one sitting like that  
“I think so” Cas answered slowly “I wish the circumstances that it teaches the importance of wellbeing were a little more relatable but it certainly captures the imagination”  
“It’s not about bloody well being” Dean said feeling a need to bang his head against something “in fact nothing is, just you”  
Cas looked at him like he was a moron for a moment too long and that was it for conversation till the film ended.  
Having put it off for far too long Dean got up to go  
“Where are you going?” Cas asked  
Dean picked up a wave of genuine concern, it was short lived but it was genuine, he wasn’t just being tolerated “I need to wash” he explained because he did, really.  
“But there’s another three to go...”  
Dean stopped in his tracks, apparently Star wars came before obsessive cleaning disorders, who knew “Those ones are made up” he said, they were Sam’s he wouldn’t have even kept them.  
“Ah, a lesson in experiential avoidance” Cas surmised “Guess we’ll leave it there for tonight”  
“What?” Dean started but was interrupted by a knocking at the door “You expecting anyone?” he asked instead  
Cas shook his head slowly.  
Monsters seldom knocked but still it was gone midnight. Because he wasn't raised in a barn Dean answered. A man stood there, an annoyingly smug self assured kind of man in a grey pin stripe suit.  
“Hello, my apologies for the intrusion this late but I saw the light” He said pointing up ward toward the light in the hall behind Dean’s head “I’m looking for Clarence Milton”  
Dean looked back to the snug where Cas was shaking his head violently  
“Uh, nooo” Dean answered turning back and blocking the view inside some more with his body “No one by that name, now if you don’t mind” he copied the gesture pointing toward the smug dicks car for him to leave.  
“He’s here. I’ve got informants saying he’s here. Just let me in” He said stepping into Dean’s space but Dean wasn’t having it.  
“Back off” Dean growled shoving the guy back with one hand and walking him off the porch completely “you’re on my turf now and I’m telling you as far as your concerned he’s not”  
“I can change that by breakfast time tomorrow! Pull a strings here, pay the right people there and you can lose everything If you don’t give me what I want” The stranger purred   
“Don’t threaten me buddy” Dean warned “I got a billion places I could hide your corpse no one would ever think look to look” Dean’s eyes flashed red at the thought, it wasn’t subtle.  
“Alright! I can wait till you’re done with him” the man said stepping back at that “but tell me do you know what he’s capable of? Whatever your arrangement with him is, I can help you achieve far more! All I ask is to have him after”  
“That would imply that I had him in the first place and I just have a need to kill something right now”  
“Fine. I see you can’t play nice. Think on it. Perhaps call when you’ve had time to think on it” He dug for a card “I’ll pay you of course my names Zachariah, and I promise, I’m not hard to find”  
Dean studded the card “Head of SAS Zachariah?”  
Zachariah smiled  
“Then you know the laws on trespassing, get lost” Dean ordered smiling as he watched the man trip over himself to obey.  
“Do you seriously only deal with dick customers?” Dean asked bolting the door shut.  
“He really wasn’t like that when we started, well not that bad anyway” Cas said “Do you think you could stick around for a bit? You’re very persuasive, I can pay?”  
Dean considered, or at least pretended to consider, getting paid to loaf in your own home, it was a total non brainer “You are not to watch the other three star wars”  
“Okay fine”  
“Then sure”  
~  
Security detail was easy being obtuse was fun when it was a dick involved and all Cas’ clients were dicks. Admittedly some were prettier than others but when it came down to it a pretty dick was still a dick. Being around Cas and remembering that the dude was not familiar about being around him was the hard part. They were not friends and Dean often forgot himself, initiating play fights or just being annoying came so naturally to him; what to do when he got a cold hard stare of confusion in return however did not. It seemed that a full grown human being an utter idiot got away with a lot less than a dog doing it.   
Still Cas didn’t put up too much of a fight and was soon pushing back losing Dean’s beer and hiding his customary flannels whenever he left then lying around. Dean realised just what a little shit the guy could be when he found his favourite boots hanging by their laces from the branches of a nearby tree one morning. He was already reduced to wearing a hippy robe over hemp pants because no matter how hard he looked his clothes just weren’t coming back.  
“Okay enough already you son of a bitch!” Dean hollered because god only knew where that cowardly bastard disappeared to whenever he pulled something like this, probably the same place he had Dean’s possessions stashed “how the hell am I supposed to defend the place now?”  
“Let me watch the first three films” Cas’ voice came way too close to Dean’s ear making him start, Cas ignored Dean’s stumble unsympathetically “then I’ll fetch them”  
“How the hell do you sneak round like that?”  
Cas shrugged sipping his tea  
“I banned those films for your own damn good”  
“Matter of opinion that” Cas deadpanned  
Dean ground his jaw “Fine, you can watch them. But in your own time with your stupid customers when you set up shop again”  
“No, that’s when I have to be serious. Tonight, and you have to tell me what parts you don’t like as we go”  
“It will be obvious believe me” Dean muttered vehemently.  
Cas smiled and Dean realised he’d just relented “Whatever fine” he whined dramatically storming off back into the kitchen. Miraculously his beers were still in the fridge, well two were because Cas rationed them to encourage Dean to drink more water. Dean popped the top off a bottle taking a long pull before returning outside. He paused, on the door step sat his boots, again he hadn’t heard a damn thing “Gonna have to get you a bell” he muttered pulling them on and setting about his work.  
~  
“I don’t understand” Cas said three thirds of the way through the phantom menace “the fighting’s more complex, the effects bigger the characters deeper and far more well rounded” He twisted round to look up at Dean slouched on the couch behind him “why don’t you like it?”  
“Jar Jar bloody Binks” Dean stated with a bit more passion than he’d intended, he didn’t overly like the long political bits either but didn’t want to come across uneducated  
“But all the ill-considered scenario’s from before, and the, the Mongolian.... teddy bears”  
“Ewoks!”  
“Ewoks. That was all acceptable?”  
“Hey don’t diss the story man, it’s legend and we already have enough people, better people in fact pulling it a part already. The fact of the matter is it’s classic, end of! plus the ewoks weren’t assclowns”  
“Jar jar goes through a huge emotional journey. As do we as by not dismissing him, Padme teaches the importance of humility we all must all embrace when dealing with those we feel superior to”  
“He’s a motherfucking clown! In a show about cool warriors! In space! What the hell’s wrong with you man?”  
“Does your inability to accept bothersome characters also extend to your real life relationships with people?” Cas asked looking hard at Dean “Could you be on your own path to the darkside?”  
Dean immediately thought about Adam for the first time in literally time, and okay he was just a kid but the rest of the pack and the way they had struggled, in fact were still struggling to escape the dark ages in single possible every way.... well enough to say he wasn’t at all bothered by their absents, at least not anymore. That thought was so wrong “Shut up” he said throwing a cushion at Cas’ head “Dick move using the force against me”  
“I’d sooner tolerate Jar jars childish antics than yours, at least he’s got cute floppy ears” Cas looked shocked sitting up straighter his eyes wide “Where’s the dog?”  
“Huh?” Dean grumbled struggling to think what Cas was talking about, of course he twigged eventually but not till Cas was giving him evils for being a shit pet owner again “It’ll turn up, ’s probably with Sam”  
~~~  
It was too soon when Cas’ new group started pulling up on the drive. Too soon, yet not soon enough. Dean had caught himself on several occasions ogling Cas. This pretence at domesticity they had together, too easy to slip into and Cas being too easy on the eye for his own good didn’t help. That plus the fact that the tension in Dean’s pants had already been ramped up to overload meant that Dean could have made some hefty compromises during their time together if he thought Cas would for a second be game. Dean was never really sure how that would go down, Cas never let slip a clue on what he was feeling during their whole time together. It was both fantastic and infuriating. Infuriating because of Dean’s own self esteem issues; he liked to be liked, not in that way necessarily; at least not by everyone, but liked all the same and fantastic because he really did need this break to get a grip on changes in his own body this being alpha made. Still he was glad to be back in the company of women again, he was ready for the sensationary overload if it meant getting his libido back on safe ground.  
“You gonna be okay?” Dean asked approaching Cas where he sat in his familiar position on the porch.  
“Yes, I’ll be fine now” Cas said his eyes dancing nervously round the first of the new vehicles as their occupants spilled out “I made mistakes before, mistakes I won’t be repeating”  
“Cool. Well I guess I’ll leave you too it then?” Dean said hovering; he didn’t need alpha instincts to know Cas was nervous.   
“Thank you Dean”  
“You’re welcome” Dean said retreating back inside too check he’d not forgotten anything before he returned back to his cramped and probably musty lodge. The house was clean, Cas was rested and truth was they both had jobs to do, this quiet thing that they had going was never meant to last. Dean lingered a moment longer in Sam’s bedroom where he’d been staying, it made sense to go already, maybe if he just stayed long enough to make sure the new girls were hot?  
Down stairs Dean could hear voices drifting up from the library and the door creaking shut. Womens voices, his interest peaked even before the faint drawn out sigh and hitched catch of a breath. It could be anything, a goddamned cold Dean chided himself trying to get his overenthusiastic sex crazed imagenation under control but walked over to the bathroom where he could hear better anyway. The breathing intensified, building to a very vocal panting complete with begged demands for ‘more’ and ‘there’. That wasn’t just his imagination they were already at it. Dean listened; two women in the library were at it now. The panting doubled in pace till one barked her climax to the soft chucked sigh of the other. There was some polite mutterings; ‘refreshments in the kitchen’ were mentioned in Cas’ deep tones. A few moments later there were more footsteps across the hall and the familiar creak of that door. So was this was how Cas was going to avoid his past mistakes? The rhythm of panting started again, a lighter pitch this time as well as a light masculine voice.  
Dean tuned it out or at least tried to but this particular girl’s build up was like a vocalised song of splendour for what she was experiencing. Dean closed the bathroom door to make full use of the sink and the sound of her sweet litany. Fuck she was vocal, fuck her voice was hot singing her elation on her way to release and forcefully guiding Dean to his. Her climax was a chorus of heartfelt ‘Ah’s’ accompanied by companions whimpers. Dean spilt his seed with the same pathetic whimpered cry seeing stars for a moment till his vision cleared. He took a moment to let his pulse calm thinking about cleaning up when there was more movement down below. Words of thanks and shoes tapping down the hall into the kitchen then Cas’ distinct tones saying “Would you like to step this way” to a hushed chuckle and that creak again. Dean muttered an appreciative cuss in awe. He counted sixteen people going into that library in all and that was nothing short of awesome.   
When he crept down everyone was enjoying tea and cookies in the kitchen while Cas addressed them concerning a few ground rules. Dean stopped to stair Cas seemed so chatty and assertive, he couldn’t see the new guests from where he stood but he hoped as Cas clocked him he might get introduced. Cas’ eyes lingered on him a moment maybe two but that was it his attention was back on the room.  
It stung Dean a little. Before he could think too much on that his phone buzzed in his pocket “Sam, how’s it going?” Dean asked leaving the house by the front door.  
“Fine, everything’s fine I’m just checking in that’s all”  
“What about Lisa’s place what happened there?”  
“No one knows, Jody’s put it down to a natural disaster”  
“What kind of natural disaster knocks down walls?” Dean growled “Are you sure Jody’s just dropping it? I should come down and take a sniff round”  
“NO!” Sam near screeched “I mean no, don’t worry about it. I already looked, there’s nothing and it’s almost repaired now plus the turf’s been completely trampled over anyway it’s fine Dean really Lisa’s practically moved back in already”  
“Really? I’m not sure I like her being alone there you know?”  
“Dean women can weld guns just as well as guys you know, plus Cole’s been keeping her company”  
“Oh” because oh, “Was there any sign of Aaron?”  
“The reporter who we hate, yeah he was in the bar, he’s fine”  
”Well,” Dean said lost for words “That’s weird”  
“Not really though is it?”  
And yeah, maybe it wasn’t Dean cleared his throat, prepared to venture another tract “I mean Jody just dropping something like that, don’t you think? Did anything ever come of her investigation up here?”  
“Uh not that I know of” Sam replyed “Guess she dropped that too”  
“Really? You sure?”  
“Look there really wasn’t a lot to go at the end of the day Dean, I suspect the sheriff’s busy enough with real problems to worry too much about strange occurrences and freak accidents”  
“You think?” Dean asked his voice hitched “Sam you feeling okay? You do remember we come from a long line of paranoid bastards right?”  
“Yeah, yeah course man, look you let me worry about stuff here and you just concentrate on keeping the territory safe. Unless that is, unless you need help”  
“Actually it’s been kind of quiet here lately” Dean admitted  
“That’s good, so what’ve you been doing?”  
“Nothing much just hanging with Cas”  
“Cas?”  
“Cas, you know Steve well Jim, anyway he’s Cas now, we’ve been chillin”  
“Okay weird; better not tell Benny you’ve started a new bro’mance without him”  
“Whatever bitch, listen we’ll catch up soon yeah?”  
“Course, the minute you stop being a jerk! Actually please tell me you’re not still hanging out as an animal because that’s weird on a whole new level of weird even for you Dean” Sam chuckled hanging up before Dean could retaliate  
“That was...” Dean started till the tell tale click told him he was fighting a lost cause. He was alone, again, Sam didn’t need him and he had no real excuse to hang out round the house anymore, well not as Dean anyway.  
After hours of busying himself with every excuse for things that needed to be done Dean turned wolf and crept back to the house he’d been carefully avoiding for some much needed company.  
Everyone was seated in the main living room, Cas had just finished speaking and everyone had gone quiet. The emotions of so many people after his time alone hit Dean like a wave, luckily they were all restful and relaxed but still, it was a lot to take in. That and their scents, all new, all different a huge tapestry of information laid bare. Dean took a moment to adjust. One feeling over powered the rest though, drowned them out into obscurity and it was joy, tinged with relief so sharp it made Dean want to apologise or anything and everything immediately. He looked up and Cas’ face was just lit up at seeing him.  
“Come here Jerk!” he said enthusiastically gesturing him over to where he sat cross legged on the floor in front of the class. Dean obeyed stepping nervously closer into the sensory over load  
“And just in time” Cas said pulling the reluctant animal closer and pushing him to lie beside him  
There was a horror filled gasp from around the room that peaceful feeling turned black with horror as people startled at the size of the wild looking animal before them. Three at the back stood up but realised that to run away meant getting closer to the beast if they wanted to exit via the door, all eyes turned to Cas for guidance.   
Cas ignored the fear “Now I trust that you’ve been practising the lessons learnt in our last session together, maybe even read up on tantric as the extreme meditation. This week I hope to move directly on from where we left off with the basics of bio rhythm and massage. A very physical and effective way to stimulant and attune ourselves to one another’s spiritual energy. I will demonstrate on Jerk here”  
Kneeling up and looming over him Cas dug his fingers into the fur around Deans neck to a spot behind his ears round the back of his skull, a spot that turned his muscles to jelly and his bones to solid lead. Dean’s whole body lowered further down into the carpet in complete submission. It was horrible this feeling of weakness being rendered limp by someone so unexpectantly fast. Dean whined his disapproval, it was literally all he could do.  
Cas ignored the dogs protests and massaged that spot till he could hold the animal with just one hand while using the heal of the other to forcefully sooth a path down Jerk’s spine from shoulder to hip. It wasn’t nice, sharp twinges of pain down one side of Dean’s lower back protested with violent twitches.   
Despite this Cas repeated the motion till the reaction to his touch lessened. He was explaining how people carry their burdens. How the chakras were affected by this weight and in turn reacted amplifying the original load. How we all carried a yoke of our troubles and sometimes the yokes of others, suffering their burdens as if it were we ourselves that were injured.  
Dean couldn’t concentrate on any of cas’ words, his head swum with the distraction of being held down and helpless in front of a class of weak onlookers. Fingers dug into his lower back pushing pressure to the centre of those tight little spasms and Dean felt a near euphoric release there as his spine lengthened at the next pass of Cas’ hand.  
“.....It’s only when we can let go of those emotions that we can allow ourselves to open up to the pleasure of the world around us” Cas said with some satisfaction as he finally felt Jerk’s spine relax with a click. Damn but this dog had a lot of tension “Now if we could all partner up we can start to feel for ourselves”  
Dean could feel the weight of the class focus shifting as they shuffled to connect to one another. Cas released the hold on his neck, using both hands rub and push the muscles of his shoulders instead. Dean was defenceless, putty in those hands, if the wash Cas had given him had felt a little too good to be admitted to this was downright sin full! An alpha were’ biting his tongue to keep from mewling like a pup, powerless under the administrations of some random dude. It wasn’t right but Dean didn’t protest.  
For much of that class Dean drifted in and out of a sort of sleep, he’d long been abandoned as Cas went about assisting others in perfecting that healing touch.  
Too soon everyone was standing and Cas was finishing up with some metaphor, inviting everyone to a group discussion out on the lawn with refreshments.  
Dean pulled himself up, he felt utterly blissed out, high almost. A quick shake confirmed how loose his muscles felt with his hips shaking his legs out from under him, he huffed as he scrambled to stay upright feeling stupid but happy.  
Cas hugged him laying his full body weight over his back “Missed you Jerk” he said before pulling away and shoving him enough to topple him over “You giant puppy” he teased going after his guests.  
Dean followed determined to somehow make himself more a part of this group; he’d had it with being alone.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is un beta'ed so not perfect, also I don't know a thing about wellbeing, massage, douching or anything really....

Dean wanted in on the sex sessions, but how do you go about proposing such a thing? Even practicing a mock speech in his bath room mirror left him gaping with embarrassment. And all the while the damn monsters just kept bloody coming, popping up as if on cue every time Dean thought he could grab a minute to himself.  
Dean’s patience could only take so much. If he didn’t want to literally die of blue balls than he had to admit, he needed help. He took a deep breath, swallowed his pride and called John, trying his best not to disintegrate with shame as he subtly suggested that maybe the pack could roam a little closer to home and perhaps help out a little bit.  
John had not so subtly informed Dean what his week had been like so far, what Adam alone had killed so far, and that Dean (and Sam because yeah Sam was supposed to be there too) should quit whining over what few waifs and strays managed to break through the packs lines to bother them a teeny tiny, little, bit. “This is war Dean! Deal with it!” John barked hanging up, the little ‘call ended’ sign failed to convey the level of his disgust as efficiently as the slamming of the old receiver did.  
Still, Dean felt reduced to a kid again, a snot nosed brat begging for more cash to see himself and Sam out till the end of the week, or month or whatever. He kicked the crumby stacked up furniture around him in annoyance, something important sounding clattered and crashed somewhere in the midst of it all adding to his frustration. He ducked down trying to see what or where it was banging his head in the process.  
Story of his life! Left behind, stuck in whatever dump because he obviously never had anything better to do. And Yay for Adam! The perfect kid who’d never in his life been left to fend for himself! Of course the little shit was turning out bloody perfect.  
Dean took a breath, he was whining; whining when he needed to be fixing this. He spent the rest of the day looking up security systems, puzzling out how he was going to do this. He sat hunched up and squished between various boxes till his head hurt as much as his cramped back and thighs.  
~  
Hours later and he was no closer to an answer.  
The security necessary for such a vast area required miles of cables or a far more powerful WIFI network than they could possibly muster out here in the sticks.  
Dean needed a time out, maybe all this information would settle into some sort of plan if he stopped over thinking it like he was. He headed back to the house in wolf form to unwind, it really wasn’t his fault that the only company he had these days was the orgy friendly kind. Really not his fault that given the choice he’d chose this over any other.  
He trotted over eagerly putting as much distance between himself and his cramped lodge as quickly as possible. He could already hear voices from the house, and see the lights pouring out through the open windows and doors. ‘this is war’ John’s words repeated in his head... it had been a while since his last patrol, the warm welcoming house suddenly looked like a homing beacon for trouble.  
Dean slowed his pace listening for signs of danger. He couldn’t hear anything over the sounds of Asariel advertising what was going down inside. Her half swallowed squeals and fevered gasps of ‘please, just like that’ and ‘oh more, more please’ had him soon abandoning any intention of guarding against monsters and drifting more toward the action instead. As he got closer Dean was horror struck to see Cas perched on the open door step into the kitchen in full view to anyone or thing approaching.  
Dean huffed in irritation at this wanton show of carelessness; Cas wasn’t paying any attention to anything around him, well nothing new there when it came to the sex, but Dean knew Cas was aware of the things that lurked out in the forest. Knew he knew and knew he knew enough to fear them, yet still he sat un guarded with his nose buried in one of Sam’s thicker law volumes his tail waving like a flag behind him calling for attention.  
Well it had caught his attention and now he was prowling over, testing how close he could get before Cas realised how stupid he was being, close enough to make him jump out of his skin Dean hoped because that was just the kind of wakeup call the dumb ass needed.  
As he mounted the porch Dean felt a wave of emotions from everyone inside wash over him, the syrupy warmth of a sustained high, a fuzzy glow of acceptance and pleasure from their shared activities. He was getting better at this. He could even feel Cas, sort of. He was emanating a kind of hum of appreciation, probably from feeding or whatever his species did. No, Dean could pinpoint it exactly, it was more like a purring, he’d solved something and was pleased with himself for doing it. Cas’ tail twitched harder and surrounded by the heavy glow of such positivity Dean felt his own tail wagging in response.  
The motion caught Cas’ eye, he looked up thrilled to see Jerk returned Cas put his book aside immediately to fuss the over sized dog, pulling him in close to sit beside him.  
Dean felt overwhelmed by the force of emotion now surrounding him; it neared worship in its intensity. He tried to stay focussed on whatever he’d been so concerned about but he was further consumed by the sight and sounds of everyone giving themselves with such abandon to one another inside. Dean had never felt anything it; he willingly let himself be pulled in sitting down completely entranced.  
Inside Asariel whimpered wretchedly, her soft body squirming on the hard kitchen counter where she lay. Between her open thighs Virgil had both his thumbs pushed up into her, holding her open to dip his tongue into. Opening his mouth wide to exaggerate the motion of reaching in, he dragged his tongue heavily up tracing a path to her cleft where he finished the motion with small laps that had her gripping the counter till her fingers turned white. Virgil paused after each pass, watching Asariel struggle helplessly against his hold, pleading uselessly for more. He watched with a sort of calculating coldness that had Dean looking away searching the room for something else, something warmer that would match this sensation he was revelling in right now. Beside him Cas had resumed his reading. Dean snorted in irritation.  
Cas brushed off the wave of dog breath and continued unperturbed.  
It seemed so disrespectful. Dean wanted to correct him, nip him even and make him pay attention to everything that was happening around them. He wanted the doors and windows closed and secured but he couldn’t think why that was important, oh yeah their view of the room was severely limited from where they were sitting down here on the step. At least that’s what Dean told himself as his eyes lingered on Ezekiel fingering a presented Ion open. They were both knelt on the floor, Ion taking comfort in the cold tiles against his flushed skin as Ezekiel kissed and nipped round the swell of his buttocks. Ion moaned at the attention, Ezekiel sucked a finger coating it in saliva and began pressing into Ion’s exposed hole. He slipped the tip in and out several times before he began easing in past the knuckle. Sweat gathered behind Ion’s knees, his muscle catching on every pass of the knuckle both in and out of him. Ezekiel worked patiently slow, rubbing circles up and down his partners back taking great pleasure in that tight caress.  
Cas must have been watching them too, his voice startled Dean back to awareness “Slower! And Start with your tongue, everyone opens to tongue”  
Ezekiel pulled out, twisting to ease through Ion’s grip. Ion bucked a little as he caught again, the action causing him to clamp down tighter, Ezekiel moaned thickly in anticipation withdrawing all the way and eagerly repositioning himself to mouth hot wet kisses into the valley of his partners cheeks blocking the view of what he was doing there. Ion shuffled and squirmed under the attention, sighing happily and soon enough lifting his hips, pushing back for more. Ezekiel’s administrations intensified his sucking becoming audible. Ion did everything to open himself up more to it, his hands stumbling to simultaneously balance, touch himself and reach to catch a hold of his partner. In the end he resorted just to pleading and whimpering his readiness. Ezekiel pulled away, his mouth glistening with wet. Ion pushed his hips higher still, knees sliding a little more open. Ezekiel pushed a finger back in this time meeting no resistance. He stroked it in and out smoothly altering the angle, making Ion buck in reward.  
“Another, I’m ready” Ion panted bracing both hands against the cold tiles. Resting a hand against the smaller mans thigh Ezekiel obliged with a second, letting Ion relax around him again before starting to move. More sweat glistened on Ion’s skin and again he clamped down on the intrusion.  
Cas slid a bottle of lube to knock against Ezekiel’s knee “a lot” he said  
Ezekiel applied it obediently and worked his fingers back in. Still the muscle caught but now Ion moaned at the sensation of fullness. Ezekiel started scissoring and twisting working with the encouraging noises, adding a third as his partner relaxed, keeping him full.  
Ion reached back again stroking Ezekiel’s thigh in appreciation, gripping when he was enjoying it most. “Now Jim, need you now. Please!”  
Dean thought he’d misheard, perhaps he had, Ion’s light voice was easily drowned out by Asariel’s louder pants and cries, which had somewhere turned to shameless pleading “Need you to fill me Jimmy need to feel you inside me now!” She sounded pained her knees falling wider with each demand.  
Virgil stared at her confused “But....” he muttered his brow knitting “But?”  
“Oh for fucks sake” Cas hissed exasperated as he was forced to look in yet again “Virgil!”  
Virgil looked round to where Cas sat “But?”  
“Get in there already! Actually no, no! Ezekiel you’re bigger, Virgil join Ingrid and Gail...” Cas paused till Asariel finished a wickedly long drawn out moan of appreciation at being mounted by Ezekiel, it sent shudders down Deans spine straight to his groin. Cas continued, totally unaffected, giving random instructions to the rest of the group. He finished with “Harder please Ezekiel” To which Ezekiel obediently upped the ferocity of his pace slapping his hips harder into Asariel.  
Asariel moaned happily arching her back off of the counter “Ah Jimmy just like that!”  
“No God damned names!” Cas hissed “How many times!” He rattled off a few more commands getting some people to switch and others to change their techniques completely. His instructions were all given in a dry snipey tone as if he was seriously dissatisfied by the whole scene. “Okay, if we could just all think about wrapping this up now, please” He said with a sigh turning back to his book  
Everyone in the group dutifully worked a little harder to reach their end.  
Dean found it hilarious he could watch this for giggles alone. He knew that it was some people’s thing to be bossed round during sex but by this pissy guy? No way could that ever be sexy, just no way. But there they went, coming all over and in one another on command. He glanced again at Cas who was muttering lines as he read them struggling to concentrate over Asariel’s yelps and finale scream. He was like the king of stoic even in the face of extreme sexual drama.  
“Stop watching me” Cas said noticing the look Jerk was giving him over the book “’s creepy”  
Dean looked away immediately  
Cas smiled “Sometimes you’re a little too human” he said putting his book carefully down and getting up. He stretched out his limbs, tucking his tail away “Thank you! Thank you, everyone thank you! Now if we can all go clean up and regroup out on the lawn I have the perfect meditation to help prolong this afterglow sensation! Quickly now!”  
Everyone filed out and Cas wasted no time in grabbing a cloth to wipe over the surfaces with  
Dean followed him in stepping gingerly further into the intense afterglow of emotions still filling the room. It really was something else, like food, like water, like everything that you’d ever need or want. Dean felt buoyed along with it as he padded over to pester Cas, there was just no way he was going to be allowed to stay this pissy not when Dean was feeling like this.  
“What do you want?” Cas asked as Jerk bustled against his legs like a giant drunken puppy “Are you hungry? Here!” he handed the dog a cookie from a jar kept next to his tea on the counter. Jerk knocked it out of his hand sending it scuttling across the floor in a flurry of crumbs; he got back to work trying to unbalance Cas again.  
“Stop, enough I’m trying to work here!” Cas laughed “And you’re so not helping”  
Jerk snatched the cloth away from him shaking it violently as if to kill it.  
“Fine!” Cas said giving up “Have it your way, we’ll just learn to live in a sty” Truth be told he didn’t feel like cleaning. He’d really enjoyed the easy camaraderie he’d slipped into with Dean and now, now he missed it. Of course his friendships never lasted; his omega pheromones always saw to that, part and parcel of his kitsune nature and he was used to it.... But he wanted to believe that it had been genuine this time that Dean might be unbiased. Jerk bustled him some more, it was nice how animals knew instinctively that you needed cheering up sometimes. Cas gave him a shove back, then another “Let up!” he scolded reaching for his tea intent on making a cup and unwinding his mind a bit before everyone returned back down. He recalled how particularly immature Dean had about his tea ‘seriously man looks like someone just pissed in your cup’ He’d said scowling at the offending camomile brew. Dean couldn’t get his head round anyone drinking anything other than beer for pleasure, maybe whisky if you were flush or something with an umbrella if you were a chick, but tea? What was the point? Cas had replied quoting directly from Lu Yu someone who appreciated the delicate nature and tradition of the drink ‘tea tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind’ He could have gone on and indeed on waxing lyrical about the beauty of tea; but Dean had already levelled him such with a look....And so the game of stealing each other’s preferred beverages had begun. Turned out Dean revered his beer just as much as Cas did his tea, it had been funny watching him anger so easily when it went missing from the fridge. Cas had intended to just steal one as he was sometimes partial but it had turned out Dean’s comment on piss couldn’t have been more apt for the describing this god awful brand. Cas had tucked the rest under the porch to save Dean from his ignorance fully intending to replace them with something more decent but Dean had been too quick in taking revenge. His highly disproportionate revenge; and of course by then it was war. Cas smiled at the memory as he grabbed his box of tea to make himself a brew.  
Jerk continued to bully him for attention. Cas found his legs being assaulted as the dog rough housed him forcefully against the counter, he fell back catching himself easily against the animals huge frame but dropped his tea bags.  
“Jerk!” he mock scolded laughing a little at the stupidity of it all and reaching down to retrieve his box from around the frenzy of paws when Jerk’s mouth closed around his hand.  
Cas froze. This was the first time a limb had disappeared into that huge maw and he could feel teeth, huge wet teeth holding him, he held very still.  
Dean stopped too, he had meant to tug Cas over maybe run off with his weed stew, but the taste of him was, was different, interesting. He’d gotten so accustomed to the guy’s scent that he didn’t notice it anymore but the taste; there was no way he could get too familiar with this. Cas tasted strangely sweet and clean, wholesome even like herbs. It wasn’t a flavour he’d usually go for but it was so right right now.  
Cas thought for a moment that he saw something flash in the dogs eyes. Something so feral it made his blood run cold. He felt small against the animal who was for some reason content to just hold him there. He wasn’t playing or threatening just holding him. Cas pushed down his panic, this was Jerk and he loved this crazy dog, he had to regain control, that’s all. He tugged his trapped arm a little “Let go” he said, admittedly without a hint of authority but his voice wasn’t quivering with fear either...  
Nothing happened, well the dogs tongue moved to slide against his trapped palm but other than that he still was stuck. He wriggled his fingers and tugged again harder this time. Jerks hold on him tightened a little, just enough to keep him trapped, nothing more. Cas relaxed,the damn dog was messing with him. He started tugging harder. Each tug bringing a vocal growl from the stubborn animals throat like it was some sort of jibberjabber toy. Cas’ hand slipped a little but he was far from free. Next he was wrapped round Jerk’s head trying to lever the dogs jaws open crocodile style.  
“Let go you stupid mutt”  
“Holy shit!” Virgil gasped returning to the room  
“It’s not...” Cas said calmly because Virgil looked to be a second away from doing something drastic. “Let go” Cas said again and this time Jerk released him the game clearly over “Bad dog” Cas muttered studying his saliva coated hand  
“You need to get that dog neutered” Virgil stated “That is a direct show of its dominance over you”  
“He’s just playing” Cas said lightly dusting himself off and retrieving his tea from the floor as if nothing had happened  
“Ignoring it will lead to more aggressive behaviour” Virgil pressed  
“It’s not my animal so the decisions really not mine to make” Cas said abandoning the idea of tea and turning to take Virgil more seriously instead, he wasn’t the type to let something like this lie.  
“Then I would suggest keeping it out of the house, animals need boundaries and this one crosses too many with you” Virgil said stepping closer, protectively, between Cas and the dog. His stance was all was all stiff and strong, overly so. He cupped Cas’ cheek drawing his face closer to his own “You let too many people cross those boundaries”  
Cas just stared at him not understanding where he was going with this  
“Virgil took a deep, dramatic, breath “I passed Bartholomew’s thugs on the freeway on my way over, it couldn’t have been coincidence”  
“I know” Cas said quietly “He’s, been in touch”  
“And what do you plan on doing about it?” Virgil demanded holding Cas still  
Cas felt like he’d just escaped one hold only to fall directly into another, he pushed to turn away till Virgil let him, wandering over to the sink to run some water over his slobber coated hand.  
Virgil followed, pushing into Cas’ space and wrapping his arms tightly around him speaking into his hair “Come back with me aid me in my search, we’re close I can feel it!” When Cas gave no sign of replying he continued “help me be the first to stake a claim and...”  
“No” Cas spoke sternly “I like my life, like it as it is”  
“You live in a fucking station wagon” Virgil said his voice raising  
Cas twisted in his grip to face him again “I like my fucking station wagon”  
“Then let me...” Virgil’s voice trialled off as Ingrid came down into the kitchen smiling to them both.  
Virgil released his possessive hold on Cas shuffling awkwardly to look more casual  
Cas took the opportunity to peacefully put a comfortable distance between them “No. Thank you” he said casually stepping away.  
“Fine” Virgil growled as if running onto well trod ground “Then maybe I could at least teach you some training tips for that dog, stuff they used to do before choke chains and muzzles were deemed necessary to ......”  
“As with everything” Cas said rudely cutting him off “you greatly underestimate that dog” He held Virgil’s gaze with a hard glare of his own till the other man looked away with a defeated huff. Cas smiled pleased with his win, his whole mood and demeanour lightening, “Come, let’s go sit in the garden, I’ve been looking forward to this”  
Dean watched them go, Cas seemed to be handling it and he had far more urgent things needing his immediate attentions right now. He made his exit changing human once he got back to the lodge to make full use of his thumbs and jerk off. He’d nearly lost it, his heightened alpha hormones getting the better of him. He needed to keep this, himself, in check, which meant joining in on the sex satisfying this fast growing out of control libido, which meant sorting out some sort of security to help make time for such things, which meant more time online researching and not getting any or anything physically done and of course this was doing nothing for his situation right now, he was flagging. He tried to recall Asariel’s voice from earlier, her spread thighs, her, her.... Ezekiel’s fingers scissoring against that tight resistance. Virgil, the dick, slick with lube pressing in, how that must have felt. His hand tightened, that was it, this was working for him. That shudderd response Virgil received rewarding him each and every time he landed his partners prostrate that thrill of sensation hitting both men simultaneously. Dean shuddered his release into the sink bowl and paused a moment to steady himself looking at his reflection to see if his first gay wank had made any difference to his outward appearance. He sagged back to sit on the toilet and laugh at himself. It was a wank nothing more it didn’t change anything. It didn’t fix anything. He needed more.  
~~~

Dean had come to some conclusions. He was going to secure a much smaller area and be more realistic about what he could achieve. Keeping it cheap and simple was key. So long as the house was safe he could patrol the rest of the grounds as and when he had time. Of course that meant a few monsters getting through into town but then that was already happening despite him giving it his all.  
He gave Sam a heads up as to the situation so he’d know to be more alert protecting people down there. Sam readily agreed without question that that was the best course of action right now. Dean couldn’t have been more surprised or grateful. Usually Sam saw right through him or would have insisted on taking control on any plan involving gadgets and shit Dean obviously knew nothing about... Dean really wasn’t about ruin this gift horse by looking too hard into its mouth, if Sam was good than he was more than good.  
Later Dean wished Sam had maybe questioned his stupidity a little more. It took a hell of a lot more swearing than he’d anticipated before Dean was finally and proudly, without help, setting up his cameras on the trails closest to the house. He had a whole new deeper level of hate for technology and apps and manuals and shit but he was so nearly finished that he didn’t even care anymore.  
“Hello Dean”  
Dean jumped hard enough to drop his expensively cheap camera  
Behind him Cas stood holding two coffees. It had been the one thing they could compromise on during their time together. “It’s been a while. How are you?” Cas asked offering Dean a mug.  
“Good” Dean said taking the coffee gratefully because it had been a long morning and well they were alone and there was no monsters and he was practically set up now and man his mouth was incredibly dry all of a sudden.  
“Good” Cas smiled taking a sip “I’ve missed this”  
Dean swallowed; he could feel the over eager anticipation already building in his pants “Cas” he said clearing his throat awkwardly “look, I’ve been uh, thinking...” Dean’s tongue froze, literally froze in his head, he’d rehearsed this literally over and over yet still he couldn’t seem to phrase it right. Luckily Cas’ phone rang so he didn’t have to stand there gaping too long  
“Sorry, I should take this”  
“Yeah sure” Dean busied himself fixing the camera, or at least pretended to while studiously not hanging onto every word of Cas’ conversation. It didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense to him and soon Cas was hanging up and looking pissed again “Must get pretty bothersome” Dean remarked gesturing toward the phone.  
“Yes. It does”  
“So why not change your number or something?”  
Cas held up his cell. Dean noticed the cellophane shield and lack of dings, Cas didn’t take care of things, this phone was new.  
“I did” Cas said bemused “I don’t know how they do it”  
It dawned on Dean the level of stalker Cas was dealing with “Voice recognition maybe?” he guessed and shit why weren’t any alarm bells going off in his head over this? Why wasn’t he sending Cas packing already?? He didn’t need people with this kind of fixed determination tracking Cas here to his territory.  
“Can you do that?” Cas asked dismayed  
“’s not easy but yeah it’s possible” Dean stopped talking he sensed it before he could scent it, they were not alone. He instinctively growled in warning  
Cas frowned, confused as to why an adult male would growl like that, when a large man came charging through the brush barrelling straight into him. He fell hard on his ass rolling out of the way quickly to avoid being trampled as the man came at him, reaching with dirty hands, a manic stare about his blood shot eyes. Cas panicked, his attempts at holding the guy back were feeble, he used his magic to hit him with a dose of pure fear but nothing happened. Did he miss?  
One sniff and Dean knew precisely what he was dealing with. He reached into his tool box for his hammer and grabbing the zombie’s hair as it straddled over Cas he caved its skull in with one hard blow.  
“W, what, what’s” Cas stammered, a jet of blood hitting him across the face. Dean wretched the stranger off and continued to hammer his head in. Cas felt horrified, but immensely relieved too, it had hurt where it had gripped him, really hurt. Then he smelt it, the pungent rot “What is that?”  
Dean heaved the body down onto the ground hitting it repeatedly till all it could do was writhe about. “Zombie” he stated quite simply.  
Cas stared at it, despite its smashed and boneless state it was still reaching for him with a fierce determination. “Zombie?”  
“Yeah” Dean sighed flicking bits of gore from his hammer. “Used to think they were so cool”  
“Yeah?” Cas asked feeling the effects of possible shock creeping into his system “What happened to, to change your mind?”  
“They stink”  
Cas nodded, “of course, that would affect everything, greatly” Cas realised he was rambling nervously. The danger he thought he was imagining here was real, so very real. So why wasn’t he running? Why was he staring a zombie in its smashed face with a near stranger who didn’t think twice about hammering a man to... well not to death it was still very much alive, hammering it to a pulp without a second thought?  
Dean finished wiping his hammer replacing it on his belt and pulled out a small plastic bottle. He squirted the contents over the zombie and after patting down his pockets retrieved a match to set it alight. “There, that will finish it” Dean looked round to where he’d placed his coffee, taking a sip while he watched the flames splutter and pop.  
Cas felt the heat from his own drink burn where he’d dropped it down himself early on in the attack. He pulled the hot wet fabric of this hemp shirt away from his skin, fanning the heat away as he took stock. He wasn’t hurt unlike his mug which lay broken on the ground next to where he where he fell. Luckily his phone had fared better, he gathered them up and got back to his feet apologizing for what had been Dean’s mug. His phone buzzed before he could finish that sentiment. He looked at the screen and recognizing Bartholomew’s number felt his blood run cold.  
Dean snatched the cell off of him and boldly answered it “Call again and I’m going to be calling on you buddy, we clear?” There was a hurried clink on the other end, Dean smirked and tossed the cell back to Cas.  
Cas stared dumbfounded. He hated people trying to order his affairs, absolutely hated it. Anyone even suggesting asserting their influence riled him, and Dean had done so with such an unnaturally strong air of authority to his tone, an alpha tone. Cas should have been running already..... But Dean, Dean seemed safe, so safe. And he was paying him to keep troublesome clients at bay and besides he would first have to be a monster of some sort to be an alpha, and Dean, although not a hunter any longer, didn’t seem to be anything other than human. Cas was sure of it, pretty sure of it. An alpha monster standing right beside you? You’d know, wouldn’t you? On some bone deep kind of level you’d know and Dean just felt safe.  
“Thank you” Cas said finally  
“It’s nothing” Dean replied stll watching his zombie burn  
Cas smiled, everything was fine he could relax here with Dean guarding. He stared at Dean again, a welcome warmth filling his system “Thank you Dean”  
“Yeah, you said” Dean huffed, because Cas was staring a little too long and beginning to repeat himself now and even with the smell of cooking zombie filing his nose there was only one damn thing still on his mind “You know, I uh, I don’t mind being more hands on protecting you, you know, from whatever”  
Cas frowned “You’re doing plenty, when I asked for your help I never imagined you’d be fending off zombies”  
“I can help more”  
Cas frowned “Sorry?”  
“You’re not in control Cas, not really. Virgil is another Naomi waiting to happen. And I know there’s more out there, Bartholomew for starters” Dean knew he was being manipulative, knew it but wasn’t about to stop.  
Cas shifted uncomfortably, he’d forgotten how Dean was somehow able to spy on him so efficiently, it was discomforting that he still couldn’t figure how he was doing it “Are you asking for more money?”  
“No...”  
“What then?” Cas asked taking a defensive step or two back  
“Look” Dean said getting frustrated “I’m offering you a more personal round the clock protection”  
“Okay?” Cas said looking at Dean as if seeing him for the first time, he’d been foolish, again “but not for nothing. What is it that you want?”  
“Just, just Let me join in on a session” Dean blurted feeling his face heating in a mixture of awkwardness and relief getting it out there. He needed this needed it like he needed air right now  
Cas stopped backing away  
“or two” Dean added because hell, in for a penny or whatever.  
Cas finally blinked, stuttered like he wanted to say a few things simultaneously then settled,  
Dean felt the emotional change happen, felt it like swimming in a warm sea and feeling a cold current rush up from somewhere deep and dark to suddenly embrace you. He involuntarily shivered as Cas suddenly felt dead emotionally to him, he’d fucked up.  
“Yes” Cas said suddenly his voice sounding strained,  
Dean looked up hopeful  
“Yeah sure okay, why not?” Cas said waving him off “With your looks you’ll be a big hit with, well everyone” He said looking away anywhere but at Dean. Why had he thought to believe this man would be any different? Cas heaved a huge calming breath letting the disappointment seep out of him. “If you’d like to join us later we start at eight” he smiled turning tightly on his heel to march back to the house.  
Dean grinned from ear to ear, he’d neglected to tell Cas about the spray of blood he was wearing but hell, he was in and that was all that mattered to him right now. He got straight back to work finishing up. This was it! He was in!  
~  
Dean was still grinning the most shit eating grin he could muster when eight o’clock rolled around. It was the kind of grin that felt it could spiral out of control in the corners; in short It hurt but man, he was in!  
Cas pointed him coldly up stairs “You need to clean, just follow the others”  
And he took off taking the stairs two at a time in his enthusiasm to join what he thought was a queue for the bathroom. It turned out they were queuing just for standing space within the bathroom area, as people happily showered, douched, toileted and brushed together.  
Dean couldn’t quite believe people didn’t see the problem with keeping a tooth brush in the same room that multiple people were douching in and for a moment, his feet turned cold.  
The shower curtain drew back and a naked Ingrid stepped out giving him a wink as she reached for a robe to wrap herself in.  
“You’re new” She smiled leaving her robe purposely open  
Dean’s eyes were caught on her naked torso, her perfect breasts, sanitation be damned he was back in. He shucked his clothes and got into the vacated shower pulling the curtain closed tight behind him and got cleaning.  
Down by his feet he couldn’t help but notice the plastic squeeze pump and hose.  
He watched them suspiciously as he scrubbed. He knew what he was getting into, knew he needed to be clean, throughout...  
Outside the safety of his curtain he could hear others doing it less modestly over the toilet, hurriedly getting it over with so as to move on.  
He decided he’d test himself with a finger first and yes after a light feel there was not getting round the fact that it needed to be done. He picked up the bits and after a few test runs and a lot more procrastination he noticed he was in fact alone. He was going to miss out on the whole session at this rate.  
He stepped out of the shower cubicle and positioned himself nervously over toilet, hovering over the bowl.  
This was it.  
Now or never.  
He pushed the tube in, not so bad, and squeezed the pump a fraction... the sensation was nerve tinglingly awful, the tube popped out emptying the water straight down the toilet.  
“Dean?” Cas called from down stairs “Are you coming?”  
Dean took a deep breath yeah he was coming “Just give me a sec okay?” He refilled the douche and determinedly tried again.  
Ten minutes later and Dean was done. He wrapped a large towel round his waste and headed down feeling a little tender and very very wet. He wished stuff like that didn’t really happen in real life, not ever. Hoped like crazy he’d gotten the last of the water out.  
Downstairs Cas was waiting patiently by the door “If you’d like to go in and take a seat anywhere on the floor should be fine”  
Dean nodded and went in sitting down between Ingrid and Gail who both smiled at him politely before returning their gaze back to the door. Nothing happened, but Dean could feel it, the anticipation, like a building static amongst them. It was like a low vibration to the air around them building in intensity encompassing and connecting them all.  
There was a low murmur or giggle just to Dean’s left and maybe a pleased whoop from somewhere else but his eyes were fixed on the figure who walked into the room capturing his full attention with her perfect smile. A smile that arrested his capacity to think and sent waves of heat straight down to his dick, she was perfect, better than perfect but who was she? He’d never seen her before, he’d have known if he had, what she was doing to him just smiling like that... she stepped in closer and lowered herself down to kneel face to face with him, dropping her robe, mirroring his own involuntary action as he let his towel fall aside. It was like pure magic, the smooth simplicity of their synchronised motions, the gentle buzzing and glimmer to the air. She lent in just as he did and they locked lips. Dean wanted nothing more to do with the orgy or life in general, his world narrowed down completely to her and only her as they kissed and rolled and fumbled frantically together. She was hot in his arms moaning, begging for him, begging for more, writhing and grasping for him to be nearer. She lay back under him running her hands over his body mimicking that sensual massage touch feather light round his groin before stroking back up to kneed his chest teasing his nipples. She was so perfect. Dean lent forward and she lay back pulling him closer till he rutting against her feeling her wet for him and now he was balls deep, holding himself still for a moment because this had happened so fast and this really wasn’t his favourite position, he couldn’t see all of her. She squirmed for more friction; pulled at him demanding, so he reached down between them to massage her clit in time with his strokes, it was awkward, if she was on top... She moaned her delight but it wasn’t enough. He hauled her up onto his thighs and bounced her lightly up and down on, her legs circled round him and she took control, finally took control from him, thrusting his face to her perfect pale breast to lick and suckle there. ‘More’ she hissed in his ear making every nerve end tingle ‘I need more of you in me’ she sucked two of his fingers leading them round to her rear spread open where she straddled his thighs. Dean pulled her in tight to his lap and pushed in from behind. She moaned and rocked on him, too close to watch but he could feel her pleasure at least. ‘More’ He looked up from her wet abused breast disbelieving. ‘More’ she demanded, and if she wasn’t so perfectly beautiful, her eyes so painfully blue he might have told her to fuck herself on what she had but the fear of losing her attention was terrible.  
Time passed somehow and she was now back under him again. They were now doing it military style and somehow she was also in him fingering him from behind. He looked down at her wondering how the hell she was doing that and she smiled her perfect smile long dark hair haloed around her head, she was perfect, so perfect. Suddenly she was penetrating him deeper with something big, rutting into him. It wasn’t comfortable, he wasn’t sure, he needed to see her to make sure, needed to tell her to adjust the angle or something because from what he’d seen this should be enjoyable for both parties. Time lapsed and she was now across the room beckoning him over and she was beautiful and that weird episode was totally behind him because she needed him now to kneel before her perfect cock and worship her there. He did, willingly as she had the most beutiful cock he’d ever seen, and yeah he looked whenever he got the chance, and she was perfect taking him every way like this thrusting gently into his mouth when he took her in, coming in long hot spurts all across his face. Next she was rolling him over, finally! Lying him down and riding his cock, pinching his nipples brutally hard, he watched her taking her pleasure on him ran his hands up and down her ebony skin... time was running out, he needed to finish this and fast! He thrust up harder, worked faster, his muscles tightening in anticipation of the rush to come, he felt it all building up, then exploding out of him, the release was electrifying! Overwhelming even! He felt himself slip off into a sort of white haze. He felt at one with her, with everything, the universe even, he felt warm and lulled into a comfortable sleep like state, all warm and syrupy. He melted into the carpeted floor exhausted, bone deep exhausted and happy.  
When he came round he was lying to one side on the cushions.  
Everyone was pulling themselves together grabbing their robes and hugging Cas as they shuffled out to freshen up.  
Dean was so immersed in his afterglow and his body so reluctant to move that he just stayed there, perhaps they would just ignore him like when he was in wolf form, perhaps he could just stay here like this forever.  
Cas patted Dean’s face and tugged on his arm “Get up and walk it off, you’ll feel better after some fresh air”  
Cas’ words were soft but he wasn’t giving him a choice, Dean was ushered out where the fresh air in the hall really did wake him up. He was covered in come, absolutely covered. His ass was slick with wet and his lips felt bruised and tender, but bloody hell she was perfect! Wrong in every sort of way but perfect. He felt on cloud nine all over again just thinking about it, remembering... the details kept escaping him, important stuff like her smile and the shade of her skin, it was all fading. He was tired that was all, tired and in need of sleep. He wandered back to his lodge to crash. Tomorrow he would remember, would swing back round and meet her, maybe even introduce himself, defiantly introduce himself.  
“Tomorrow” he yawned and headed out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have mastered spacing XD

The next day and events from the night before were no clearer.  
Dean worked hard building and setting traps for monsters on the further parts of the territory. Closer to home he’d already drawn out all manner of protective symbols, placed salt lines and buried hex bags anywhere they wouldn’t get disturbed or questioned. His goal was to create a wide line of defence around the entire house. An ambitious task, especially with his mind being elsewhere like it was.   
By the time Dean broke for a late lunch he still had a hell of a lot to do. He perched himself on a nearby fallen tree to eat wincing as he sat as man, he was tender today. So yeah, that had defiantly happened, and at the time he might even have enjoyed it which was weird because anal; the receiving end of anal? Really wasn’t his idea of good times.   
He tried to remember how exactly that had happened, sure it was an orgy but she, whatever her name was, she must have done something to instigate it, that and maybe more... his jaw ached like a bitch and his throat felt rough as hell as he swallowed round the sandwich he’d packed. Had she had a strap on? Had he actually gone down on it like a pro? All that he could remember was that it had been hot, very hot at the time. That he couldn’t get enough of all the things she’d wanted to do to him. That despite the wrongness and absolute horror at what he might have gotten up to he’d be back there in a second if he didn’t smart quite so much today. 

There was a sudden snap behind him followed quickly by a piercing shriek.

Dean whipped around, barely an arm’s length away two black eyed children were shuddering violently where they’d over stepped a salt line he’d buried earlier in the dry bracken beneath where he sat. Their agonized voices slowly faded out along with their wrathful glares as they dissipating into thin air.   
Dean watched their Smokey after trail floating upward on the slight breeze.   
He should have heard their creepy giggling hours ago; he should have noticed his own breath now thick and cloudy against the chill air... He needed to stop thinking about last night with that shit hot bird and get his head into gear.  
Dean put his sandwich down and got back to work before anything else showed up. Fuck he hated kid spooks and fuck he hated that he hadn’t even asked her name... Blue eyes and dark hair was literally all he had to go on, that and the feeling that that strap on may actually have been the real deal... He swallowed again feeling the abused twinge of muscle round the back of his throat.   
Dean stopped thinking about it and seriously threw himself back into his work, willing the hours away till he could see her again.  
~

It felt like ages before Cas next saw Dean again.   
Ages of anxiously waiting to find out how the events of that session had gone down.   
Dean was perhaps the first person ever to go into one of these things knowing full well what he was getting in to. At least Cas presumed Dean knew what he was getting into. Dean knew everything that went on inside that house; knew too much about what Cas really was; knew way too much in general. It was beyond Cas’ understanding why the hunter, ex-hunter, would even want to participate in such a sham. But there it was, at the end of the day everyone’s a slut when it comes to kinky sex... Cas shook his head in defeat. He’d hoped, rather stupidly that he may have found a rare ally in Dean, someone he could actually talk to.  
He still kind of held that hope though his reservations now spoke way louder. He was a fox spirit and foxes were primarily solitary creatures for good reason. But being alone sucked, being surrounded by people yet always feeling at a distance sucked. He spotted Dean trudging by outside with his heavy work gear and raced out to catch him.

“So what did you think?” Cas blurted before Dean could get away

Dean stopped walking; the porch which he swore had been empty a moment ago was now occupied by Cas staring at him intently. Shit he’d been distracted again and shit he wasn’t ready for this conversation just yet. He cleared his throat awkwardly running a palm over his neck and jaw to settle his nerves “Uh, yeah it was good. Very, good” 

Cas watched the slow blush creep all over Dean’s features, the uncertainty in every aspect of his countenance, it was the complete opposite of Dean’s usual cock sure demeanour. Could it be possible he didn’t know? Or was he being shy? Free reign of ones imagination often brought about some home truths that otherwise could take a life time to understand. Cas narrowed his eyes speculatively, he needed more to go on. 

Dean was trying so hard to stop his skin from heating. Cas had seen everything, knew more about the sordid things he’d done than he did and was now watching him in such a way that was really weirding him out. Not disapproving at least just not wholly reassuring either.   
In truth he’d probably seen worse. In fact he’d probably spent the whole time reading that stupid book of his anyway. With that thought in mind Dean screwed his courage and stepped in a little closer “So, uh....There was this girl”

“There was a few” Cas said obviously enjoying Deans discomfort.

“Yeah!” Dean said rolling his eyes, “but there was this one girl, one I haven’t seen before”

“I can’t discuss individual clients” Cas said quickly because this was already suspiciously similar to every other clients response, Dean was possibly going to be no different.

Dean could literally see Cas’ defences going up and hated it instantly. He didn’t understand what had just happened, “What’s wrong? ...” 

“What happens in there stays in there” Cas said sternly “Client discretion, and all that”

“Of course, I totally get that” Dean said shuffling uncomfortably because Cas was acting so serious and it wasn’t as if he was going to start talking about any of that, although a few pointers as to what all that actually was wouldn’t have been such a bad thing. Though not with Cas in this mood, it would be too much like talking sex with your parents and suck all the pleasure out of what little half memories he still had. Dean cleared his throat to start again proper, maybe Cas didn’t get how important this was “But I felt we had this... connection or, or something” Dean said earnestly trying to explain this indescribable feeling

Cas blinked a few times uneasily, Dean didn’t know. How could he not know? Wetting his lips Cas began spinning the usual spiel he used for all his trade, Dean he reminded himself was defiantly no different “Some clients really value their privacy please understand Dean, I can’t help you”

“Could you at least give me a name?” 

“Hael” Cas said after some pause “I guess you’ve noticed that everyone here tends to use a moniker, well that’s hers” he said turning to leave it at that.

“Will she be there again?” Dean asked stopping short of reaching out to stop Cas leaving, he had so many questions, so many strange emotions, he was practically verging on a chick flick moment and would be happy to admit to it if it got him some answers.

Cas noted Dean’s aborted grasp at him, watched his hand fall limp with a tinge of pity, he didn’t like messing with emotions and Dean it seemed was going to be one of those people with genuine proper feelings. He tried to push aside his disappointment “If you want her to be?” 

“I do, yeah” Dean said feeling a little pissed that Cas would take that stupid cryptic tone with him. Anxiety crept its way up his spine, she hadn’t liked him, he was being politely rejected. Cas with his cold work tone manner was doing her a favour by keeping him at a distance wasn’t he.

“Dean I’m not sure...” Cas’ words died on his lips, Dean was looking at him like a kicked puppy. He shrugged off the idea of advising him that an orgy was not the best place to fall for someone and went with the flow of what he’d wanted to hear “Whenever you choose to next join us, I’ll let her know” 

“Awesome” Dean said surprised and very much relieved. He thought briefly about broaching the dick conundrum, but maybe he’d covered enough ground for today. Maybe he’d work that out himself next time he saw her, when would he next see her? He was still sore, discomfort be damned “would tomorrow be okay?”

“Tomorrow would be fine” Cas smiled, falsely Dean noted his alpha senses picking up on the lack of sincerity while his downstairs brain near partied with excitement 

“Great” Dean smiled refraining from over reacting, it was on.

~

 

Even as a wolf Dean was walking funny.   
He patrolled the grounds rigorously trying to put this chick with a dick conundrum out of his head. He hadn’t seen Hael again since. Hadn’t seen or scented her anywhere around the house. There were still the bedrooms, maybe she was that reclusive. He was worried about that dick; had it really been real? And if it was, was it bigger than his? It really shouldn’t matter but he was a alpha male frigging werewolf and it did, a bit.   
It wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy it. Yeah it had been a lot to take in in one session and in one previously virginal hole. An awful lot. He almost ached for it again now but how was this extra appendage and new kink of his going to go down if the rest of the pack found out? It was a little early to be worrying about it, after all they’d only fucked once. But Dean couldn’t help thinking about the way Kate had described her first encounter with John ‘I could just feel it, like something profound deep down inside, I just knew it was meant to be’ Dean couldn’t shake the feeling that something deep was stirring in him now.  
~ 

 

Wearing soft flannels Dean casually moseyed on over to the house. This was it, his chance to get some answers, his hands played nervously with the hem of his T

“Dean” Cas greeted when Dean stepped in the open door “Back for more?” 

Dean took quick note of Cas’ loose stance, wide grin and pink tinged eyes. He’d been hitting the chill pills and hard, something he’d not done since Balthazar. Dean disapproved instantly. It wasn’t his business and he shouldn’t care but he was going to hunt the rest of that shit down and bury it so deep worms wouldn’t find it. That is as soon as this was over “Yeah” he said politely “is that still okay?”

“Sure it’s okay” Cas smirked “the guys love to have you”

Dean stopped from cringing, he wasn’t here for everyone else “Hael will be there won’t she?”

“Yeah sure” Cas said continuing to prep the room.

His flippant attitude grated, the fact that he was so wasted grated, Dean watched Cas struggle to keep balance as he went about his work “So, been hitting the pills a little hard today huh?”

“Got to grab the opportunity when you can. That dog of yours has a nasty habit of stealing my stuff”

“Yeah he’s good like that, watching out for people”

Cas stopped to regard Dean properly not liking the ‘holier than thou’ tone he was sensing. He noticed how the room continued to move without him; maybe he had over done it a little. He stopped his unnecessary fluffing “I’ve not seen him today, has he been with you?” 

Dean was puzzled by the question for a moment then remembered they were talking about the bloody dog “Yeah, we’ve been out working, all’s clear” He winked

“That’s good” Cas huffed guessing that meant Jerk would be too exhausted to come visit him today “Did you want to get cleaned up?”

“I actually got ready back at mine thanks”

“Oh okay, just sit and wait for the others then I guess. Um excuse me, I’ll be back”

Dean nodded and sat down making himself comfortable. He wasn’t nervous it was just sex. Sex and an infatuation he just couldn’t explain. With Cas gone his mind started working overtime again, it was bizarre that he could feel like this about someone so soon after meeting them. He toiled again through the list of questions he had worked out for her, important stuff like who she was, what she did, where she came from and could he convince her to stay longer? Like forever?

One by one everyone else came down nodded hello to him and each other and sat down to wait. Dean tried to look polite but she wasn’t in their numbers. People stopped arriving; stopped chatting stopped all pretence of interest in anything other than the door.  
The atmosphere built, excited expectation sitting heavy in the air just like the last time. Dean could swear the feeling was audible, deafening even as the air buzzed with it filling his lungs, his blood with its electric charge.  
He glanced around again to make sure she hadn’t snuck in passed him somehow, she hadn’t.   
Dean worried she wouldn’t come. That he’d never meet anyone like her again.  
Then in the door way, there she was and she was as perfect as he remembered.   
Relief flooded his system as she sat beside him regarding him gently with cool calm eyes, brushing her shoulder length hair aside to show the soft flesh of her neck which his eyes followed down to her where her breast was showing a little under her robe. A little voice in the back of Dean’s brain said ‘show time’ and they fell on each other with a terrible life or death urgency.   
She was already naked and fisting Dean’s sweats off violently in her eagerness to get to him. He was so hot for her; his clothes refusing to shift fast enough. The physical barrier the fabric created between them physically pained him but she was passionately strong and ripped the offending stuff aside pulling him round, positioning him just as she needed with amazing ease.   
Dean liked that, that she was so much stronger than him, that she was so capable. She tugged him again toward her, pushing him to lie flat and just as he thought she might straddle him she rolled his legs up over his head spreading his thighs where she gripped him and pressing in to lick at his exposed ass. He was sensitive, ticklish even and he bucked as her tongue caught and then breached him, strong arms held him firmly in place, held him still as she enthusiastically ate into him. Dean wasn’t sure he do that to someone without knowing them first for at least a weak or something but he was sure glad she had no such hang ups as the feeling was, it was exquisite now that he was getting used to it, now that he was relaxing against the wet intrusion and fuck why did he not do this more often?  
She kissed and lapped at him till her spittle ran down behind his balls, lapped so long his own pre cum dripped on his face. He needed to participate, to see her, his back ached too so he tried to push away and roll out from her grasp. He tried a little harder not wanting to hurt her after she’d taken the time to get him all wet and horny like this but he needed to change position and touch her too.  
She let him go.   
He flipped free righting himself and turned but she was gone.   
He looked around and there she was already kissing another girl across the room. She smiled at him beckoning him over. Dean obeyed and again she pushed him down only gently this time, very gently like she no longer possessed the power she had before and straddled his lap. His eyes ran down the full extent of her perfect body pausing on the grove of her cunt which was wet and welcoming as she teased herself grazing against the length of his cock. She kissed him again and pinning him flat pulled her companion to straddle his face. Dean didn’t like this, he couldn’t see her but when he heard the sounds she made as she and her companion used him, increasing her wet grind against him before angling his cock and sinking down with a long dirty moan he couldn’t complain. He lay contently, secure between two sets of thighs and perfectly submissive as they got off together. His only wish was that he was tasting her crotch against his lips but she at least she was enjoying him. He could feel her every wiggle, her every writhe as she rode him. He reached blindly out to grip her perfect thighs to feel more of her round him as she started to lose her rhythm banging him harder then sitting flush and trembling, shuddering out the aftershocks of her orgasm.  
“Oh Cas that was perfect” She groaned smashing her face against the breast of her companion.  
Dean pushed out from under them.   
He wasn’t a some love struck teen but they had a thing didn’t they? A deep profound true mate kind of thing! Only it wasn’t her, it wasn’t Hael it was some other girl, Gail or something, Hael of course had been riding his face and now lay giggling where he’d pushed her aside in his moment of confusion.  
It was an easy mistake in the middle of your second ever orgy he guessed as he moved over to take her properly now. She giggled again and rolled away presenting her ass, wriggling her hips and squeezing her anus tight for him. Fuck he’d wanted that ever since seeing Ion that time, he’d wanted it. She leant back to meet his cock where he knelt admiring her for maybe too long. Only now he was too close to see where to aim so he gently stroked down along her crack feeling for her cunt to wet his fingers with, wanting to tease her a little first, wanting to watch her catch deliciously round him before he sunk his cock in. She felt so perfect. His fingers glided over her skin so silky and smooth like she’d just waxed which was odd because he still had a pube stuck in the roof of his mouth from where she’d been riding him earlier. She gasped when his fingers ghosted over her balls and that beautiful sound chased away whatever it was he’d been thinking. He brushed her again cupping then rolling her tightening sack till she squirmed delightfully beneath him.   
“Hurry it up! I’m begging Please!” she whined in a husky tone and he could feel her cock bobbing hard and eager so he reached further to give it a little attention. A string of pre cum drooled over his fingers as he slid his fist over the head rolling the foreskin, squeezing a little and damn she felt close.   
“Please” she begged again and Dean stopped his selfish foreplay to mount her like she needed.

“Lube Dean, lube!” 

That little voice nagged and Dean looked around hastily. Finding a bottle conveniently by his side he slapped some on and rubbed himself against her hole to slick her up a bit but his cock hooked easily on her lose sphincter and he all but fell forward till he was mounted flush. ‘Shit’ he thought ‘Should have fingered her first, should have opened her with my tongue done this properly’ but no pained reaction came. He wasn’t even sure he was actually in. He looked. He was, but her anus was so loose he barely registered. 

“Damn” Dean muttered.

She moaned and bucked pleading for movement and ok so she was totally loose, she was still so perfect in every way that really mattered so he began in earnest to satisfy her. She ended up taking his whole fist, he stretched out his fingers to as far as they would go, added in a few fingers from his left to rub down against her prostrate and every now and then would get a clear glimpse so far down into her depths it made him actually worry. It was like doctor sexy meets animal hospital or something. He ignored his qualms and blew gently into the void stimulating her cavernous walls some more and finally she was coming and really, thank god because this was getting weird. He held firm as she rocked her way through to completion, till she was finally done and falling forward releasing his hands and panting her relief in a puddle of her own come.  
Dean let himself relax; he was just so pleased that he’d sated her, when she was wrapping strong arms around him from behind and pulling him back into a strong embrace. She sucked at his neck and began roughly to coax his now soft dick back into play. He felt her grind hard against his backside, a hand fisted roughly in his hair forcing him forward while wet fingers slipped deftly in stroking him open. He tried to adjust round this sudden change of pace, tried to relax himself for her but the blunt head of a cock was already readying its entry.  
Dean peeked over his shoulder, needing to see her, needing to remind himself of how perfect she was because this wasn’t what he’d signed up for. It was too fast.   
Hael smiled wickedly back at him flashing her perfect teeth as she slid in with a happy groan of satisfaction.   
Dean felt every inch of forced stretch till she rested flush over his back. She lay there stroking up and down his sides and murmuring some foreign nonsense against his skin. He didn’t like it, his alpha nature raged but if she wanted him like this... he willed his instincts to quiet while she had her way with him. There wasn’t much he could do to assist so he ended up looking round to see if Cas was watching, to see if an act like this by so beautiful a woman would get that stoic little bastards attention.   
It had.   
Dean felt his breath catch in shock. Cas’ blue eyes, blue like Hael’s actually, were wide and clear and watching, not her but him, he had Cas’ full attention. Dean felt a tight tension coiling rapidly despite the rough inadequate hand play around the region of his genitals and as his eyes remained locked he came hard. The surprising force of it knocked him for six and he buckled, clenching to steady himself under the heavy administrations of Hael who’s cock buried deep within him during his jolted orgasm stuttered in its rhythmic grind. Dean felt hot spurts erupting within him, pushing further up his insides in time with his own dying spasms and dripping a lazy trail passed his now relaxed syphtor even before she’d pulled out. He felt tight and full and content for one blissful moment, until her swell died down within him. He didn’t know why that would disappoint him like it did, it had to happen they couldn’t remain locked there, but that’s what he wanted.   
She rolled him back against her, cradling him against her massive shoulder as his limbs shivered from exertion. Her body hair tickled his nose a bit and he must have dozed because Cas was soon pulling him up off the floor, red glassy eyes sparkling and smile false and wide.

“Come on Dean up and out!! I really need to clean up!”

The door was open so were the windows and Dean felt a smoggy haze clearing away in his head. He was naked and drooling lying against some cushions and “What the fuck?” The smell hitting his nose was like raw sewage

“There’s really no accounting for some tastes” Cas sighed bundling up shit soaked cushions into black bags

Most of the others had already left stumbling up the stairs and Cas had somehow already donned his marigolds and was already in full cleaning mode, or would be if Dean’s ass wasn’t in the way.

“When did that happen?”

“Quite early on” Cas said conversationally before seeming to remember himself “Shit this is awkward uh, I don’t usually host these things in clients houses for these ah, reasons. Look I’m going to rinse it all out and get everything professionally cleaned in town, just so you know...”

“Please just destroy it” Dean groaned “I honestly don’t think I could look at that stuff with any love again. Wait, Hael isn’t into, she didn’t, did she?”

Cas shrugged “Heat of the moment these things” Cas noted the horror on Dean’s face, it wasn’t what he wanted to be hearing “Why don’t you go outside and get some fresh air. I’ll wash these and keep them to one side encase you change your mind” He looked around gesturing to the rest of Kate’s pretty furniture all pushed up out the way “It’s part of the set and everything” he said fondly

“Whatever man, hey you not coming out?”

“I’m higher than a fucking kite Dean I can clean shit this or chat shit, it’s all the same”

“Well okay then” Dean said grabbing his discarded, actually ruined sweats and wandering out into the blessedly fresh air. He took a seat and relaxed completely into it as he waited vigilantly for Hael to show. Stubbornly he fought against the fuzzy afterglow threatening to distract his attention and took note of how everyone else cheerfully sank into theirs, pushing it further even with long glasses of strong wine while they idly chatted.

Dean honestly couldn’t remember any of them even being there.   
He refused any drink when offered and bowed out of any conversations; he didn’t care about them or anything that wasn’t her. He watched and waited; but she never showed. 

 

People were starting to head back in.   
Dean followed starting to get frustrated. He returned to the living room thinking maybe if he could get her scent he could at least find out where she went.

“Is everything okay Dean?” Cas asked looking at him concerned. 

The air in the room was thick with the smell of cleaning products and not much else. Anyone else would have marvelled but Dean just growled in irritation “Where is she?” he demanded looking at Cas.

“Who?”

“You know who” Dean barked because Cas had seen who he’d been with all bloody night, he sniffed again at the tainted air “It’s like she was never here”

Cas smirked “Perhaps she never was Dean”

Dean felt his hackles rise; he really didn’t have the patience.

Cas must have sensed it too as he was suddenly all business “Right sessions over, you need to leave now”

“No. Not without answers. Tell me why she’s hiding, why you’re covering, what exactly is the deal here?” Dean barked 

“Trouble Cas?” Virgil asked stepping in on his way past and eyeing Dean suspiciously.

“No. I can handle this” Cas said firmly “Dean, some clients really value their confidentiality, it’s nothing personal. Now it’s been a long night, so if you wouldn’t mind...” He gestured toward the door to both of them without much success.

Dean looked at the hard albeit pink glazed determination in Cas’ eyes; they’d been clear during the session he was sure. Clear and blue, he’d seen them clearly when their eyes had locked ...Virgil stepped in closer when Dean didn’t move, positioning himself in front of Cas and squaring himself up against Dean.   
Dean’s blood boiled at the implication this man would even think to challenge him, in his own house no less. 

“No!” Cas objected trying to push pull the sudden standoff apart. 

Virgil found himself manhandled back out the way; he glared viciously at Dean who remained unaffected by Cas’ efforts, advancing with every shove Virgil couldn’t help but succumb to.  
Cas stopped fighting Virgil as together they found themselves backed against the furniture. Dean was an immoveable force looming over them, they crowded together to make their stand.

“Stop” Cas said fearing they didn’t stand a chance here, fearing what he saw in Dean the darkness in his eyes, “just please stop” he whispered

Dean felt a static charge building and crackling about them and fuck Cas was looking at him like he was in monster form, he’d only wanted answers and now Cas and Virgil were literally poised to fight. He turned on his heel and marched out, escaping the house before anyone could have the satisfaction of using the dead bolt behind him.  
Neither of them tried as they instead erupted into a harsh argument in his wake.   
Dean didn’t wait around to find out what it was about; he needed to get away, to get himself back under control. He was better than this.

~

 

Dean returned much later and in wolf form. It had been hard shrugging off his anger at not getting the answers that he’d wanted and this; this form was easier, as if his brain was far simpler. He’d waited for as long as he could, till his anger had all but abated leaving him with just his intense sense of need. So he’d come back, huffing when he found that a few lights were still on inside the house. It would have been far simpler to search the place top to bottom if everyone was asleep, but he was here now and he would have to make the best of it. 

Inside there were voices, low and hushed.

“No one else can do that for me, what is it you want? Just tell me because going back without you just isn’t an option”

Dean recognized Virgil’s voice and guessed he was still with Cas. The guy’s emotions were fraught, verging on desperate. It reminded Dean to much of his own concerning Hael. He tuned them out concentrating instead on what scents he could find in the hall. There was nothing of any use, Cas’ cleaning and scented incense sticks mussed so much of the information Dean was looking for.   
He moved on down the hall stopping when he neared the living room; Cas and Virgil were still there exactly where he’d left them which was an insane amount of time ago. The two of them were sat intimately close, the scene uncomfortable to watch as Dean couldn’t help but feel for Virgil who wanted, wanted so much he verged on desperate anger. Cas meanwhile was saying nothing, simply shushing him gently silencing all his demands as they came.   
Dean’s own need stabbed at him, he left them to it and continued on with his search.  
There was nothing downstairs so he moved up. Now it got risky as he planned to search the occupied guest’s bedrooms. She, or a trace of her had to be somewhere in here. He padded down the hall looking for a convenient place to start, most of the lights were off but people were far from asleep inside. There was movement everywhere, behind every door, ‘what the hell?’ Dean thought   
He nudged open a door he thought might be safe and someone inside stilled in their motions instantly 

“Is that you?” Asariel whispered in the darkness peering hard at the door as it creaked on its hinges “Are we good to go?”

Dean watched her squinting hard in the darkness, she couldn’t see him so he backed away coiling himself further into the shadows to watch and wait; this was interesting.  
~

 

“Let me stay with you tonight then” Virgil said as he and Cas ascended the stairs together

Cas pushed Virgil toward his own room “No” he said simply as if tired of even that by now

“Just this one time. What would it take? How much?” Virgil continued regardless.

Cas didn’t answer. He pulled Virgil’s door to and started away toward his own room. He stopped short as he did drawing a sharp breath, down the bottom of the dark passage two eerie red orbs bobbed nearly three foot above the floor.   
Cas stood a moment transfixed as they blinked out then back into existence. He’d heard about ghost lights, even fancied that he’d seen a few but they had been pale soft things these were hard and red and glaring. He strained his eyes a little harder squinting into the darkness, there was something familiar about the shape of those shadows.  
“Why are you lurking? You want to give me a heart attack?” Cas said with evident relief in his tone as he strode forward making good his escape from Virgil and grabbing grab handfuls of fur as he did to pull Jerk into his room.

Dean growled because damn it he had things to do but Cas persisted so he reluctantly followed guessing Cas’ room was as good a place as any to lay low for a while. He promptly curled up making himself comfortable on a rug by the door ready to make his exit at the first opportunity.

Cas quietly shut the door turning the lock carefully to make sure it fell firmly into place, something he never did. 

Dean growled his disapproval at being trapped but got shushed rudely in response.  
Cas switched off the light and retreated quietly back to sit right behind him on the small mat. Dean wondered where this was going; he didn’t really have a choice but to play along so they sat silently together in the dark.   
Five minutes past, then maybe ten.  
Cas didn’t move, hardly even breathed. Dean couldn’t compete with that kind of dedication and despite his best attempts to show interest he let his tongue loll out to pant comfortably again. He felt his temperature cool with each hot heavy breath and felt considerably more comfortable by the second. He guessed that Cas would want to shush him again so was surprised when he felt Cas tuck in closer behind him, crossed knees touching against his spine and fingers kneading then soothing out his fur.

“I’m not in control” Cas whispered under the rhythmic noise of Jerks panting, knowing his words would be lost before anyone caught them

Dean paused his huffing with a sharp snap of his jaw.

Cas stilled again listening for whatever the dog had heard. There was nothing, he was being stupid and paranoid he scolded himself despite knowing full well that it was because he was so distrustful that he’d managed to stay safe for so long. Still, was he growing tired of it. “I don’t think I ever really was” Cas confessed ducking down further as if to make himself somehow smaller. “Doesn’t matter. I just have to get through this tonight, then they’ll be gone tomorrow and none of this will matter”

Dean whined, she’d be gone that soon? What the hell was he going to achieve in that short space of time? His mind raced, ideas at first but then his thoughts took a dark turn, ‘he could turn her ’.   
It was as if someone else had said it, then it grew to be the most logical thing. There was already a strong chemistry between them and he’d give her protection and stability and she’d provide a home and family and they’d fuck like they’d just discovered each other every night and... it was all too cliché to believe he was even thinking it. And the idea to saddle someone with what most defiantly was a curse! And that was the only way to describe it, any kind of life with him, but if he didn’t... She’d be back to her regular nine to five in whatever career it was she’d chosen, free to be who ever she wanted and go anywhere, everywhere she wanted.   
That sounded like the best thing he could want for her, that sounded like his own logic speaking again. Leaving her to enjoy a freedom he had never even dreamed of... Somewhere deep his alpha nature growled needing to find, claim, protect what was his, what he loved... It sounded suspiciously like his father and it was an undeniably strong urge to simply ignore, he needed this.  
Cas’ hand tightened where it now gripped his fur. It was a small gesture but it grounded him while he sort to control himself from acting on his impulses.

Outside the hall lights had flicked on and were now streaming in under the door.   
There were people out there; shadows cast by feet as they crept around left no room for doubt as to what they were up to. This was going to be an ambush.  
Dean listened; he could hear the rough breathing of four directly behind the door with another two close by. There were others but further away, Dean could feel their undisguised intent, feel their ruthless determination.

Cas wriggled to free his tail and began to build up the energy he was going to need to protect himself. 

Dean grimaced, he could see it now, the first intruders would take the hit and go down leaving Cas partially drained and open for the others to come in, it was simple, it was what hunters would have done. Dean wondered why Cas hadn’t already made a break for the window?

Cas renewed his grip on the dogs fur and for a moment let the tight guard on his emotions slip.

Dean felt it, a whole store of sensation that had been carefully denied him. There was so much more to Cas, he was suddenly so relatable, human even, and he wasn’t leaving without his pet.  
Dean could have laughed out loud, he was so determined, so naive thinking Dean would actually need his help and so very afraid. 

Dean felt his anger flare, the thought that pack could feel that vulnerable while he was right there...   
He needed to make himself heard.   
Dean felt age old battle honed instincts sweeping up over him, taking the shape of a powerful alpha growl that rung long and deep and impossibly low. The vibrations carried swiftly along the floor boards, pure bass and threatening like thunder of an insane primal rage to come.  
It shook the intruders footing, rumbled up through to their core where it waved their resolve.   
Everybody who wasn’t already awake woke, stirred into consciousness by that primal fear of the dark and the monsters therein.  
Everyone held still, frozen in terror not even daring to cover their ears in fear of being detected by that unseen horror, for fear of being singled out and targeted as it rattled through their souls haunting them down to their very cores.  
Then just as suddenly as it began, it stopped. 

Every bulb in the house flew on, everyone scrambled to flee the darkness tripping and falling in their rush for safety.

Silence followed, still and hesitant.  
Someone dared to laugh, nervously at first; shaky even but then it became something warm and defiant as clearly nothing had actually happened. Like sheep others joined in, daring now to believe they really were all safe. And anyway they didn’t even believe in bogymen, it must have been a generator or low flying plane, or, or something?   
The lights stayed on, everyone too vigilant now to sleep as they chatted instead filling the silence and hiding snug in their rooms till morning, till the safety of the morning light would allow their escape out of this place.

Cas had fallen into a peaceful sleep long ago, murmuring something Dean didn’t understand where he remained curled up and gripping his fur less tight.   
Dean had vigilantly stayed alert, even though his chances of seeing her ever again were creeping away with every second. He could hear people packing their bags hurriedly, he could hear them already creeping away into to their cars... and somehow, somehow it was okay.  
~

The guests had packed up and left faster than Cas could have ever expected. The awkwardness between him and Virgil totally avoided as everyone flew back to their everyday lives.   
Jerk stayed loyally by his side and Cas petted the dog again.   
The last car pulled away and they were alone. The silence was wonderful and he still had the whole day to just be.

Dean had watched and waited for Hael just in case, it stabbed that she wouldn’t have looked, even briefly for him. He felt a little lost and totally confused by the whole experience with her. Was that was it? The whole ‘true mate thing’? Had he felt it and she not? Did that happen? He stayed in his lupine form and skulked uselessly around the house whingeing and whining his loss pathetically. It was easy not having to worry about words, to just roll with it.

Cas cleaned for hours then made burgers for them both laughing at the silly dog and petting him till he quit his tantrum “I missed you you stupid Jerk” He said right into the fur on the top of the dogs head as he scratched his shoulders. 

Dean wagged his tail pitifully.   
“Well, now all that’s behind us, let’s have some fun” Cas said stepping away to fetch a small pill box out from the cupboard, the label said aspirin but the clear bag full of coloured tabs inside said otherwise.  
Dean watched as Cas downed a couple of tabs with water. He was right. Now really was as good a time as any to move on. He turned his mind to all the possible acts of wanton destruction he could right now be getting on with, starting with burying those stupid drugs now that he knew where Cas was stashing them.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> okay so writing is now officially the hardest thing on earth to do. Everyone who has ever written and finished anything has seriously mis sold how impossibly hard this actually is.

After three whole days of living exclusively to piss Cas off Dean felt better.   
Chewing Cas’ shoes while Cas was still in them had his tipping point, the moment he realised he didn’t even believe in all that starry eyed true mate lore bullshit. After that life went on and so did his pranks with no fear of retribution as what the hell could Cas even do against a superhumanly huge wolf? And now that Dean had a read on Cas’ emotions, something like a connection that had stayed between them after that night, Dean knew exactly how much more he could get away with before he went too far. And it was quite a lot further than he’d been pushing so far. Dean had really had to up his game to keep Cas just at tipping point, the dude was so damn calm about everything. Well he ‘was’... Now every time Dean even looks at Cas the pre-emptive “Don’t you dare!” he gets screeched at him as Cas makes to defend himself is golden. So good in fact that Dean can never resist the challenge.  
Needless to say things had gotten worse and unfortunately Dean had learned a little too late that he really needed to work some more on his perceived interpretations of emotions. They’re complex things and it turns out you can easily mistake general shock with real ‘honest to god’ fear. Dean had had to drag Cas back out of the lake when the dude struggled to even tread water during an impromptu dip on one of their walks together. Of course the stupid hemp clothes hadn’t helped and Dean’s joke had died a very sad death with Cas deciding he couldn’t stand the stupid mutt any longer so disappeared.  
Dean had searched the house the grounds the traps he’d laid out for the monsters, everything till he’d grown frantic with the loneliness and started howling. Cas had returned at that but only to stop the pitiful noise, he didn’t know it but it was the one thing he really had over Dean, wolves needed pack, or company at least in this case, fox spirits plainly didn’t.   
Dean was momentarily at a loss as to what to do next, torn between some childish act of revenge or deplorable grovelling manipulation to fix things between them. He didn’t have to think on it too long as the new wave of guests were due to arrive and Cas was reaching out to him again in need of solidarity.   
~

Castiel grabbed a hold of Jerk’s tail holding him still while he tied the bright red neckerchief on to try make him look less monster and more monstrously huge before going out to meet and greet the new arrivals.  
“Please be normal” Cas said knowing he was talking to a dog and knowing that even if it did understand his words were still falling on deaf ears; this seriously had to be the worst dog in the history of all dogs.

Dean grimaced at the thought. Still he kept a low if not petulant profile while Cas went to work welcoming the new guests in. Watching everything from a safe distance Dean tried to keep his hackles from rising at the invasion of his territory.  
Somehow they had all managed to time there arrival in their too big corporate cars so they were instantly too many too soon and all way too overly familiar for Dean’s tastes.

“Castiel” One particularly weird one gushed rushing over to pull Cas into a tight hug.

Cas stiffened at the embrace tolerating but not returning the gesture “Cupid, It’s good to see you again”

“We have so much catching up to do! I’ve been travelling!”

“You’re always travelling” Cas said levelly despite being crushed.

“Yes, but this time doing stuff you’d appreciate like reindeer herding and chanting! With actual monks!!”

“Sounds interesting” Cas replied while untangling himself from the embrace and stepping away “Can’t wait to hear more” he said smiling while furthering his distance some more.

Dean really didn’t need his alpha senses to read into Cas’ real thoughts on that but he did when Cas was confronted with his next client 

“Nathanial? I don’t think you were invited” Cas said his tone and posture unflinching while his emotional state spiked rapidly with angry agitation.

Dean’s ears perked and even his fur began to prickle adding to his already tense state.

Cas cleared his throat running a hand through his hair, static crackled and popped in his fingers wake “How did you hear about this place?”

“I invited him” A tall handsome man said stepping in closer 

“Gadreel” Cas said his neutral tone becoming stern “This is a massive breach of confidentiality...” 

“Is there a problem?” A shorter man interrupted joining the conversation with two serious looking women it tow.

“Meta...”

“Marv please. it’s not like there’s single a soul left on the planet who doesn’t recognize this face so let’s just forego all that” Marv said lightly “and come on, it’s not like we’re not all friends here”

Cas looked carefully between them, they were it seemed all friends. “Fine. But tell me, can I be expecting Raphael?” he asked very aware of how he had become surrounded.

“I haven’t said anything to anyone” Nathanial answered truthfully, he held Cas’ attention while others in the group exchanged glances between them.

Dean started to prowl closer not liking this one bit but stopped when he felt a strong emotional shift within the group. Cool confidence became tinged with caution and doubt, people started to adopt a shiftiness about them as they discreetly turned to re-examine their cohorts. Cas had worked his magic Dean guessed filling them with an air of cautious mistrust, it was a good move using these slime balls dickish nature against them.

“Then there’s not a problem” Cas said stepping calmly out from their circle “Come there’s drinks on the lawn round back” 

“Can we not skip all that and cut straight to the chase?” Nathaniel asked irritated by the foreign feelings of doubt warring suddenly within him. He was a self confessed control freak and couldn’t tolerate such weakness, it wasn’t him... well he’d done his research prior to this trip and was bent now on turning the tables to regain some sort of upper hand “Only I’ve heard that’s now common place with your other groups and I for one have had enough fannying about just finding this god forsaken dump you’ve chosen to hole yourself up in this time round”

Dean bristled at the insult to his home; he stopped his low prowl and stretched up to his full intimidating height ready to teach this dick a thing or two about manners when he caught the tail end of his next sentence

“...it’s been months since I last saw Hael, so can we not just do this” Nathaniel demanded in somewhat childish tone.

Dean stopped short, had he just heard that right?

“Tomorrow.” Cas said firmly, unnerved that Nathaniel had knowledge of what had transpired with other groups but still managing to maintain his cool composure “Regardless of whether you’re interested in benefiting from the whole of what this retreat has to offer or just cherry picking your way through, there’s still a lot we need to cover first. Ground rules for this accommodation for instance”

“Don’t set fire to anything yadda yadda” Marv said sarcastically “come on, we’re not children and besides I doubt there’s anything in this place that any one of us couldn’t afford to replace”

Cas bristled further at the arrogance, “It’s true” He grit “Most of it is just straightforward stuff but there are some rules that do require your attention. Like the wildlife for instance, there’s a lot of it so we need to take extra care” Cas said wishing something really big could just literally pop up and eat the whole group right now.   
The image of it flashed raw and clear through Dean’s mind making him snort. How Cas wasn’t sending these clowns packing he didn’t know. 

“What kind of wildlife?” marv asked

“If you don’t mind I’d like to explain this just once and to everyone” Cas said leading them round to where the others had already taken advantage of the refreshments. 

“No, but wait!” Marv persisted “this wildlife, am I going to need my pistol? I don’t even know if my assistant would have packed it”

Cas pulled up short “NO GUNS!” He said so adamantly that the general chatter stopped and everyone near and far turned to look at him. 

Cas cleared his throat a little embarrassed but the thought of Jerk getting shot at again was truly upsetting “There’s a few rules” he said addressing the crowd as he already had their attention “There’s to be no guns and no going out at night” he paused to allow for any objections but none came so he decided to go a little further as not all monsters kept to the dark “Or in the day on your own, due to the wildlife in the area” 

Now suspicions were raised and a few glances shared

“This sounds serious” Cupid said looking too anxious too quick “But I love wildlife. Surely nothing will hurt us if we’re not hurting them”

“God help us” Gadreel sighed “If an animal looks like it’s about to charge you please don’t hope to reason or make friends with it”

“Don’t talk down to him like that!” Anna said stepping up “I don’t think I could hurt an animal either”

“Yet I bet you’re happy to eat meat” Gadreel said oozing disapproval in every way possible

“I am” Anna agreed matching Gadreel’s glare with a fierce one of her own despite her fragile frame “and worse, I’ve killed men in line of duty and have absolutely no problems with that either, so yeah I’m a hypocrite! I’m still not shooting Bambi”

“You really won’t have to!” Cas said purposely interrupting. “The house comes with a specially trained dog that keeps the big stuff at bay; I just require that everyone be aware of what is potentially out there and be vigilant just in case. Predictable behaviour like keeping to the curfew staying together and not wandering too far helps the dog keep guard”

“O all hail the saviour dog!” Marv sang sarcastically “Well now that we know we’re all safe let me tell you I’d rather do as I please! I need to run a few errands while I’m here; work and such you know how it is. So if anyone could point me in the direction of the nearest store that will sell me something decent enough gun to give Lt. Hops out there a run for her money I’d be much obliged”

“You know that we don’t bring our work here, you already agreed this” Cas said dryly “Plus I don’t know who you think you’re going to be shooting at but numbers are a far more effective deterrent, you’d have to be a damn good shot to hit something like a mountain lion laying in wait” 

“Mountain lion? Here?” Marv asked dubious “Really?”

“Why not? There’s mountains” Cas said unconvinced himself but refusing to back down

“And there are game lodges all round” Gradreel cut in knowing a thing or two about land management “which are going to have keepers who will want both their clients and their stock to remain uneaten. We’re probably safer here than we are in the city”

“No” Cas said firmly thinking fast, “They take a very natural approach to it all here, keeping the uh, balance so they’ve bred dogs to do that and this dog...”

“Jeez! Dog this dog that!” Marv said getting bored “This dogpainion of yours would have to be one scary mother to...” Marv fell silent as the deepest growl he or anyone present ever heard erupted from somewhere behind him “Oh shit!” He gasped ducking behind Castiel before he’d even seen the thing.

“What the hell kind of growth hormones you feeding that thing?” Gadreel squawked backing away himself as the biggest canine he’d ever seen prowled aggressively toward them.

Cas stayed his ground grateful for the space Jerk was creating round him “It’s just a dog. And he’s perfectly tame, look he’s got a neckerchief and everything” he added keeping a perfectly straight face while others struggled to keep a look of horror off of theirs

“It’s fucking unnatural is what it is” Marv said angrily “If I had my gun that’s what I’d be shooting at!”

“No!” Cupid, ever trustful, especially of Cas said stopping his retreat. “If Cas says its fine than i trust him” He said walking back reaching forward tentatively with his over friendly arms “hi ya doggy! Good doggy!” he said before pulling back faster than lightening when the dog growled again.   
Everyone flinched and edged back further foot or two.  
Cupid looked extraordinarily hurt.

Dean didn’t care. He hated the guys over friendly approach, hated his presumptuousness and further hated his over possessive man hugs tainting everything of Dean’s with his unfamiliar scent, all that and the dude had only been here five minutes.

Cas couldn’t help but smile a bit, it was great not being on the receiving end of Jerks terrible sense of humour for once. He could actually appreciate the kick the animal got from being such a shit, it was kind of funny. He straightened up finding the self assured confidence within himself that he’d needed all morning “So, now that you’ve met the dog you can expect to see him regularly all around the place. All other rules are relatively straight forward: respect yourselves your fellow guests, me and this lovely property in which we will all be sharing our time together” He said looking round at some of the still choice expressions about him. Nathaniel in particular was looking most put out.  
“So please” Cas continued smugly “take your time to settle in, make yourselves comfortable and we will get started tomorrow!” He said taking that as his exit and slipping away. 

Dean hung back enough to make sure he wasn’t followed, silently cursing when he noticed Cas take an unexpected turn when he was far enough away to dart into the woods. Dean could sense Cas needed space right now, needed it enough to try his disappearing act again. Dean wasn’t about to let that happen. He could just tag along noninvasively in this form maybe even be some sort of comfort to Cas; but he had questions, questions that needed answers.   
Dean gave the group one last glare and stalked off through the open back door to the house. Once inside he upped his pace and began to shift. Stealing some sweat pants off of the top of someone’s away bag as he went.   
He was fully human and half dressed by the time he was out the other side, running swiftly to catch Cas up. 

Cas it seemed was already gone.   
Dean could still sense him, oddly, but again it was as if he’d just disappeared. There was no scent trail. No tracks or disturbed foliage, nothing. Dean kept moving in the same general direction he’d last seen Cas take. Picking up speed when there was still no sign of him, just ‘his feeling’ that Cas was still this way.

Finally Dean spotted him crouched in a clearing down by the stream. 

“Cas!” Dean shouted with some relief through his now burning lungs, not that he was panicking of course but it was a rare thing for someone to dodge his heightened senses so effectively and it left him with a feeling of weakness or vulnerability inside.

Cas looked up utterly startled to be found “Dean?”

“Don’t move! I’ve booby trapped the place for monsters and you’re literally a hairs breath away from getting ganked”

“Ganked?” Cas asked standing to look about.

“Jeez! What I just say?” Dean said forcing himself to run again down to where Cas was slowly triggering one of the many concealed wires he had set for river spirits. Dean moved faster forcing himself to sprint, throwing his arm high protectively at the last moment to catch what was now flying out at head height before the tell tale ‘thunk’ of a catapult had even sounded   
“I’m awesome!”

“What was that?” Cas asked taking a curious step forward.  
Dean quickly grabbed the edge of a fine line now springing suddenly up from under Cas’ foot. 

Cas’ eyes followed the taught line up into the canopy above him where one of the young trees was obviously bowed over struggling to snap free. He withdrew his foot carefully and Dean let the net spring loose from his grasp. 

Cas flinched at the power of the thing as it flew up past his face “Is all this really necessary?”

“You didn’t like the guns right, well silver nets and iron pellets are the next best thing” Dean said holding out his hand to show the crudely cast beads he’d caught”

“You listened” Cas smiled holding Dean’s gaze momentarily before glancing back down and looking away quickly to anywhere but Dean.

“Well yeah” Dean said pocketing the beads and noticing how low the oversized sweats he had hurriedly borrowed were. He tugged them back up and keeping his hands in the pockets pinched the material up to fit to his hips. “But I still have to keep the place safe, so if you could perhaps keep to the tracks around the house from now on?” 

“I’d better keep it to myself that you’re working so hard in so little then, you’d have everyone out here” Cas said his eyes creeping back. “Seriously though I appreciate all you’re doing”

Dean grinned flexing his torso a little in response but the last time he’d been human round Cas was when he’d almost lost it and he could defiantly sense the uncertainty still lurking between them “Um listen, about the other night; I wanted to apologise. I know I have a temper, I just don’t usually go about losing like that over nothing”

“Don’t worry about it” Cas said quickly, pausing to find the right way to explain “These, things can often be over whelming emotionally. Are you feeling more settled now?”

“Yeah” Dean lied because he was, or had been, but now he was sort of feeling jittery again “I think, someone said... Is Hael still here?”

Cas stiffened right up. He wanted to like Dean, really he did but Hael’s name had been mentioned just once that morning and now out of the blue here was Dean after days of complete absence to chase that stray comment up.

Dean watched Cas draw in a deep breath before seamlessly adopting his calm nonchalant act once more.

“How exactly do you do that? It’s rather unnerving how nothing seems ever to escape you”

“Look man you know what I’m up against!” Dean said frustrated Cas would treat him like he would one of his clients “I’m using every trick in the book to keep everyone safe from whatever it is that’s going on out here” Dean gestured widely to convey the extent of shit storm they were currently in the middle of “And to keep you safe from those dick weeds back there” He finished pointing back toward the house.

Cas looked deeply unconvinced 

“We both know that that Nathaniel douche wasn’t invited” Dean growled “I was concerned!”

Cas scowled harder “I can handle my own clients” 

“Really?” Dean laughed standing purposely taller and looking down on Cas “Because it looked to me like you were running!” He said waiting for Cas’ response to that accusation. When none came he pushed his hand further “Who’s Raphael?”

Cas flinched at the name, hoped that Dean didn’t notice but standing this close with hardly a breath of air between them that seemed unlikely.  
Cas wasn’t running. He should run! It was way too risky for him to stay here now. Yet he had still stopped to reconsider; something had made him want to stay. Maybe the same ‘thing’ that had drawn him to this godforsaken monster ridden place to begin with...   
Or perhaps it was something else, something warmer?  
Cas stood awkwardly silent meeting Dean’s glare with a determinedly fierce one of his own while he thought about that. At a time when he felt surrounded by enemies, was literally encircled by traps and had just been chased down inhumanly fast by a man who held him under some sort of strict 24-7 surveillance... He was hesitating on leaving because he was feeling warm and maybe even contented here?  
It didn’t make any sense; clearly he was losing the plot. He grit his jaw tighter with angry confusion.

Dean took a breath and stepped back. This wasn’t good he was being a dick. In fact he was being everything he didn’t ever want to be.  
“Look man” He said, wanting to be reasonable “I was just being cautious, that’s all. I said I’d help didn’t I?”

Cas just stared at him “How are you doing it? Watching all the time?”

Dean sighed loud and impatiently long because man, the truth wasn’t something he could even explain even if he wanted too. It would just be all kinds of weird, so he concentrated instead on rebuilding what they had had before, when Cas had trusted him to have his back.   
“I thought we that were good, okay? That I had your trust. That you knew I’d never act on anything I found without your say so, and that I’d never use anything against you! Ever. I apologise if I haven’t been clear enough on that, on anything, but I guess I’d just presumed you knew. Presumed friends just did that for each other” 

Cas rolled his eyes as he felt his resolve, if he’d even had any in the first place, break into tiny little pieces. He’d never been called friend and felt so warm about it, Dean really was something else.

“but” Dean said continuing on his rant as he felt the tension giving way between them “Nathaniel mentioned Hael, and I have to know...” he said uncertain if that was really the right thing to say here, it didn’t feel like the right thing. But he literally needed to know 

Cas’ warm fuzzy friendship moment died a quick and sudden death as he snapped back to reality. Sure Dean was the most sincere or at least most convincing person he’d ever met, but he was still just another dumb and pitiable human at the end of the day.  
“You do know it’s never advisable to enter into an orgy of all things and fall in love don’t you Dean” Cas said gently, unable to be any more harsh with the idiot.

Dean knew Cas was mocking him, shit even he could see this obsession was stupid. But it was so much more than just lust, he was possibly, even hopelessly possessed by the ‘true mates’ type bond weather he liked it or not   
“Is she really still here?” He asked meekly

Cas could almost literally feel the extent of Dean’s sentiment. He considered what was truly best here the truth or... or to let Dean’s fantasy continue. Break him now or later? Cas hated being cruel. Really hated it as he could tell the truth would be crushing to Dean and the repercussions, unpredictable. Dean defiantly had a dark side to equal his affectionate one.

Dean watched while Cas warred though a heady mix of emotion. He didn’t understand what the problem was. Sure Cas had every right to be pissed at him but he was feeling guilty, bad even? Maybe even sorry for him? Or perhaps he was just misinterpreting again?   
And then Dean saw it; and why he didn’t notice this before he didn’t know but the dark hair, rounded jaw, even the eyes...   
“Is she your sister or something?” Dean asked wondering out loud if that was why Cas was being so wary, if that was why he hadn’t been able to locate her ever! If the two were so close they might even smell the same.

 

Cas looked slightly taken a back “Um, maybe” he mumbled stepping back cautiously. He knew that look, it was the look he got when his pheromones spiked and people became sexually high from just being round him. He was sure he wasn’t expecting a heat any time soon but maybe he’d been wrong, Dean’s enthusiasm was telling him he was wrong.

 

“I need to see her again” Dean insisted following after Cas “Can you tell her?”

“You can still join in on all the sessions if that’s what you want” Cas said stepping determinedly away now

“No” Dean said because this was serious, so serious, he was on to them and finally! He grabbed a hold of Cas’ arm making him stand still. He needed to think how to explain this without worrying about what traps they were possibly tripping “I was hoping to see her outside of the uh, the sex. I need to explain to her what she is to me because without, without being... Look, she might just not get it okay? And I need for her to understand this, this thing we have”

“Okay” Cas said stopping his fight with Dean’s grip on his arm to address the man straight on and stop his weird rambling. “Hael, well, she doesn’t talk much outside of the, the sex. Or venture out at all in fact, ever. It’s sort of a quirk of hers”

“Okay fine” Dean said picturing her chained up in an attic and possibly needing rescuing.  
But she hadn’t been at all weak when she’d pushed him around like he was nothing, so maybe it really was a quirk or maybe a kink... with her brother?   
Weird.   
But hey it wasn’t like he had any sort of say in how this were biology thing of his worked so... “Then I’ll do another session” Dean said thoughtfully, he’d tell her everything then as they were doing it, tell her literally everything this time and hope she’d understand.

“We start tomorrow” Cas said determined to really leave this time as Dean and his twitchy eyes and franticly wild inner musings was scaring him a little. He tugged his arm back one more time and thanked every god that ever was as Dean let go “I will see you then” he said retreating away.

“Yeah, totally” Dean smiled letting Cas go, letting him have his space now that he was headed back in the direction of the house.  
He’d been so over her, but it was like being a punch drunk teen again just thinking about her still being here. If he could choose to feel like this forever he would in a moment, regardless of the consequences, regardless of turning her.  
This wasn’t good. 

~

 

When Dean came by the house the next day the atmosphere amongst the group seemed just as intense as when everyone had first arrived. He hung back by the door so not to interrupt Cas who was addressing everyone soberly in the kitchen. 

“So we would usually have relaxed our bodies and spirits before getting started with this more physical side of things but seeing as the majority of people here today would rather skip all that shall we just go ahead and get cleaned up now?” Cas said stiffly 

His audience murmured their consent and began filing out past Dean and up into the bathroom.  
Dean watched them all pass him by without even one single nod of acknowledgement. Rude, but whatever he was way too stoked to really care.  
“Happy bunch” Dean commented as he stepped in to join Cas.

Cas just face palmed in response, massaging his scalp and neck to ease the tension there “I think I hate just about every single last one of them” he sighed not caring if Dean knew, well of course Dean knew, Dean knew everything!

“Aw” Dean smirked “some of those girls are cute” he teased “That red hot one, Anna or whatever don’t tell me you’ve never thought naughty things about her”

“NO!” Cas said mortified “And if you knew her, like really knew her you wouldn’t either” he groaned turning away to glare out the window. He felt pissed that he was, strangely, still here, pissed that he was now venting to Dean of all people and pissed that he couldn’t find any of his drug stash thanks to Dean’s dog.  
Even the stuff he kept in with his underwear was gone. He was going cold turkey and suffering for it. Not the best part of this ‘being human’ game.

“Come on, lighten up” Dean said playfully reaching out to massage some of the ludicrous amounts of tension out of Cas’ hunched up shoulders “You just got to learn to forget all that. There’s got to be one of those babes that does it for you, or would do if you could wipe your memory” he paused as Cas stopped radiating anger at his touch. Strange, Dean thought as he mimicked the way Cas had pushed his thumbs up along the fine bones along the neck. Tracing each one delicately out and stretching them up gently to where they met the scull to circle his thumbs there.  
Dean felt cas’ skin respond, a fine shiver of goose bumps breaking out as far as he could see round the light hemp shirt Cas wore. Dude really wasn’t used to being touched, which was a damned shame for someone who taught tantric massage   
“But I um, I guess you’re not actually into the girly types” Dean said apologetically as he remembered belatedly how Cas had been watching him and only him that one time he’d ever looked up and noticed his job entailed being in the middle of a god damned orgy every day.

“What would make you say that?” Cas asked confused.

And Dean was about to tell him, he had his mouth open and everything but shit, this was not a time for his typical humour. He needed to word this eloquently not tease Cas with it. Needed to convey that he was totally cool with folks who swung that way, that he loved that Cas’ sister maybe had a dick, he still wasn’t 100% sure on that, and that voyeurism or total and really ungrateful lack of it was actually fine too as far as Dean was concerned. In fact whatever weird stuff Cas and Hael did was fine, he didn’t judge, well he was going to try not to, really hard.  
“Well” Dean said slowly rubbing down into Cas’ shoulders some more, leaning closer as he did and catching a close waft of Cas’ scent. Dude still smelt weird but familiar weird now, nice even. Dean really didn’t notice Cas’ unique scent enough anymore, too much else going on to go round sniffing people randomly but now that he was here and doing just that, accidentally of course, it was nice, comforting. Homely even.

“Wait” Cas said pushing Dean’s hands off suddenly. He’d felt something, something like a twinge. And he’d checked and double checked; he wasn’t due a heat for months but, there was no mistaking it this time, that had been a twinge!... As if he didn’t have enough to contend with already! His stupidly over sexed clients were going to get the kind of hit that could turn a beta rampant if he couldn’t keep himself under control! He couldn’t do this...   
He was panicking! Cas didn’t allow himself the luxury of panic, it never helped. Instead he took a deep breath to consol himself. He wasn’t due! He needed to be logical, figure out why that had just happened. Had it been the touching? Was his body putting out chemical feelers for what might be a rare chance of procreation? He wasn’t broody, but something was triggering his body.  
“Where did you learn to massage like that?” Cas asked accusingly as if Dean could have predicted the massive reaction it would have had on him. Well of course most people would react kind of like that to physical stimuli it was natural, or lethal in this case.

“what?” Dean asked confused “Not good?”

“You’re technique, it’s very good. But I would never have pegged you for a tantric massage kind of person” Cas said looking Dean up and down studiously “more sports, which, doesn’t linger over certain ‘hot spots’ nearly so long. So where’d you learn?”

“Oh uh, girl friends” Dean answered “in the past, long past” He added encase Cas or Hael might judge him on that.

Cas stared at him a moment too long “You must have been a very passionate partner” he said snatching a glass to fill with water to purposely to distract himself with, it was just a twinge, maybe nothing even, he was over reacting and should let it go.

“Well,” Dean said feeling his arousal stirring already and adjusting his stance to compensate the extra filling to the front of his pants. “So I’ve been told. But that was why you were watching me, wasn’t it?” Dean asked hoping it was a gay thing because otherwise Cas liked watching his sister pegging dudes and that... oh shit why didn’t this true mate lore have some sort of legal loop holes for when people were just too weird? He felt himself reacting as he involuntarily replayed the scene, his pants feeling distinctly wetter as his mind lingered on the surprise he’d felt being watched so keenly by someone who never ever reacted to the many acts of shameless debauchery around him. Shit that had been hot.

Cas’ eyes narrowed a little farther. Dean smelt off, not badly, not differently even but somehow ‘off’. Deep in his abdomen that twinge stirred again with a little more enthusiasm. “I’ll try pay more attention this time” Cas said walking out, the room suddenly too small, he needed space, more air for this conversation.

Dean followed hot on Cas’ heels. Cas’ mood had changed, he was pissed, well, more pissed and maybe anxious? “What’s wrong?” Dean asked at a loss to Cas’ retreating back but he got no response “Hey! Are we okay?” 

“Peachy” Cas snapped turning into the second reception room where he usually took his meditations and throwing open every one of the large windows. It was a little too last minute to want to change location but if he was going to get hormonal than he needed to dilute the pheromones as best he could and this room was the best place to do just that.

Dean had stopped in the door way unsure of what Cas was doing, unsure if Cas even wanted him there. Soon it became obvious that Cas was wanting to do this here today and that was all it took, a change in location and Dean felt hornier than he had ever felt in his life. It was almost shameful to acknowledge that all it took now for him to be standing ridged now was Cas haphazardly moving furniture around to ready a room.  
It had been days now since he’d last done it Dean consoled himself but if he didn’t get it on soon he felt his cock might literally combust with how uncomfortably full it was feeling. That was a strange thought, but it was as if he’d been slowly working up to this all week and now he was here the last leg was maybe too hard to do.

“Are you clean?” Cas asked as Dean was still loitering in the doorway.

“Yeah” Dean said absently, his thoughts lost in a lust filled haze while his blood starved brain fought to remind him of the plan to pin Hael down and talk this time, talk! 

“Then can you help me set up? I didn’t get so much done today what with.. things...” Cas trailed off. He’d done nothing but argue, with Nathaniel, with everyone. It had been a bad day.  
To his credit Dean said nothing which was comforting in that Cas really didn’t need one of those ‘I told so’ speeches right now but also a little unnerving as Deans eyes would trail down every so often making Cas feel laid bare.  
I’m not due a heat! Cas reminded himself. Everything was fine and sure he was wrestling a little with this group, he’d soon have everything back under control, he did! He was being paranoid; lack of drugs would do that to a person. But Dean was still standing there jaw slightly agape and not so subtly eye banging him all the while as his mind rambled.   
Cas self consciously cleared his throat and was silently relieved when Dean’s eyes snapped back up to his. Yep paranoid “If you could perhaps grab some stuff to make it more comfortable in here I’d really appreciate it” he said quietly.

“Oh yeah sure” Dean said waking up a little and getting stuck in.   
Dean felt his arousal dull with the menial work and Cas eventually convinced himself that his little twinge had been just that and nothing more. The atmosphere eased between them into something more comfortable as they both relaxed into the task of ‘fluffing’ the room.

When the others came back Dean was so chilled it was almost a shame to lose the moment. His head he was clearer now and he felt much more prepared for this encounter. He just hoped it would go well, that she’d somehow empathize and that they’d maybe even come to some sort of understanding by the end of it. 

Cas felt in control again, his certainty returned and in plenty of time for his other guests to come down clean and ready to join them.

Dean watched them all carefully as they piled into the room, counting them off one by one as they arrived. Hael wasn’t among them.   
Dean sat down and waited with the others as Cas made his usual exit, leaving them to wait expectantly so they could start.

Dean glanced around again to make sure she wasn’t there, beginning to worry that she might not show as the atmosphere predictably started to build in her absence. He wouldn’t stay if she didn’t show there was nothing here for him. He would go search for her instead. Maybe that would be better, then they could talk somewhere more private...  
As the moments dragged by Dean’s plans faded, he was damned now if he could remember what it was he wanted to ask, words were so inadequate anyway. He just needed to see her, to show her what she meant to him. He felt a nervous flutter in his stomach, she wasn’t coming  
And then in the door way there she was and time stopped for a whole drawn out beat as she studied the room, Dean couldn’t move, struck dumb at the sight of her, she was every bit as perfect as he remembered.  
She cascaded in like a heroine from some old Hollywood classic and flooded the space with her presents snatching Dean’s breath away as she did till he literally felt his heart stutter before beating a frantic rhythm as her eyes found his causing her to smile.  
He ached for her all over again, ached like his whole existence had been building to this very point.  
She sat gracefully down beside him, her robe brushing soft against his knee.  
Dean didn’t dare blink why would he when he could see everything he ever needed in those sea blue depths. They sat intimately close feeling the soft brush of each other’s breath as they took each other in for far too long before Dean’s brain cells told him to move and at once their passion kicked off.  
Dean knew he was forgetting things, important things. But when was drowning now in her presents overwhelmed by her attention, lost so completely in this moment all care for anything else failed him. But whatever it was, it had been important! He fought harder to remember. He remembered the feeling of pain when he thought he was alone, it was so distant now it was like it had never happened but it had, it happened far too often for him. He needed to take something away from this, a scent at least, something he could hold onto. He could do that It was as easy as breathing and he couldn’t breathe enough of her.   
Dean pressed his face behind her ear licking her there and making her laugh, tracing down her shoulder and lower, much lower just beneath the curve of her stomach smothering her with playful attention.   
With every try to analyse what he was scenting, tasting even, she was different. With every movement she was different again. She smelt of everything, of everyone; imposable to pin down. Dean tasted male musk, female sweat, bath soap, soil, perfumes, fabric detergent, furniture polish and so much more... But there’s something else something he’s forgetting, something that isn’t here.

Dean pulled away to really look at her. She is beautiful, but that tingaly feeling up his spine is nagging him. That heavy static feel to the air that is too much on his tongue is bothering him.  
Dean pulled himself away, it was hard, impossible nearly but he did it. Nothing was right, he was missing something very important, everyone was. He glanced around the room at the others around him, mostly to see if they are aware of it, of how wrong this was.  
Hael was behind him, deeply amused at his confusion. Her breasts unnaturally large and full wobbling jelly like with her giggles. She is also beside him, long hair cascading and tickling down his back as she nibbles at his neck. She is behind herself too, just a little further over by the far wall making out with a girl whose face is hidden but similar, her hair short and ruffled just how Dean likes it. He concentrates on that version of her, looking at her like he’s never studied her beautiful body before. He is surprised that he’s never noticed how flat and undeveloped her chest is, fine for a boy but really not attractive on a man. With a few presses they could change that give her more definition along her abs too which are in danger of getting lost to the ‘spare tire’ of padding she’s now carrying. When did that happen?  
That little voice at the back of Dean’s head spoke again, telling him to go down on her, telling him it’s what she needs right now. He wants to please her, really wants to and she’s already laid out in front of him spread wide and waiting but that voice is defiantly coming somewhere from behind them.   
Dean looked around again, at all the beautiful versions of Hael, all different, all perfect! But it’s where she’s sitting quietly ignoring him in the furthest corner that holds Dean’s interest most. There’s something more to that version of her, something intriguing. She is slim again Dean thinks, male yet female, still dressed in loose hemp making it hard to really to tell as she hides herself further behind one of Sam’s heftier books. Dean can see her hair though and it’s still short and ruffled which is good as it as it matches her tail just perfectly like that...

Cas looked up suddenly aware of Dean’s eyes on him from across the room; he was waking up!   
Cas cursed his lack of attention sitting up hurriedly to wag his tail harder and increase the spell he held them all under. He was so sure he’d compensated for the larger room and open windows!  
Still Dean watched him; Cas worried that he might well be fully conscious by now so concentrated his efforts solely on him.  
Dean stood up slowly and took a slow predator like step toward him.

“Dean” Cas said unable to hide the nervous edge to his voice, it still felt so wrong ordering Dean like this “You, you need to fuck her, now, ruin her for any other man” Cas said standing up to back away as Dean continued to advance. 

Dean could smell her now and she was intoxicating sweet and perfect. As he walked toward her, the real her, the static tingle on his skin grew intense till even his lungs burned with it. Still he struggled forward determined to keep to his plan, to tell her how he felt even as his mind melted into a primal sort of state where words felt foreign to his tongue.

Cas had never in his life had anything like this happen to him before, his mind raced with what to do. Then he remembered, the few times he had taken notice of the work around him Dean had been, rather surprisingly, a bottom. He slipped easily behind the broad frame of Gadreel “Gadreel you have to ruin her for any other man right now!” he said directing Gadreel’s attention to Dean who was all but on them now.  
Gadreel, who was so much easier to control, complied immediately standing up to confront Dean eagerly.

Dean hesitated, this wasn’t right she was her, embracing him like he needed her to but she wasn’t her.

“Please Dean” Cas said urgently as if this didn’t work then he’d need to escape and Dean had made that seem near impossible yesterday.

Sudden urgency hit Dean like an ice cold slap to the face and he followed his instructions taking Hael’s taller frame in a passionate embrace. Pleased to feel her strong eager affection again, pushing him back down and owning him completely. 

Cas sighed with relief, That had been too close.   
He put his book down and did nothing but give instructions for the rest of the session. He was going to have to avoid Dean from now on. The man was far too attuned to his omega status than any human had any right to be.  
He should abandon this place and go while he still could, despite his warm grounded feeling, despite how frustratingly nice it was knowing that here he had for the first time ever someone lurking constantly in the shadows waiting to jump to his aid should he need it. It was horribly constricting yet so painfully additive. It was possibly going to be the hardest thing he’d done in his adult life; Cas felt rebelliously determined to fight against this, yet felt his failure to do so already fated.


	16. Chapter 16

Later that night after having made his decision Cas prepared to make his exit.  
He didn’t rouse Dean or anyone from where they lay on the cushioned floor this time, instead he left them, peacefully sleeping. They wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon. He’d consumed more energy off of them in that last session then he really should have. Enough to last him a few weeks if he was prudent, enough to let him keep his human guise while he looked for a new set up somewhere. With new clients this time! He’d had enough of the old, they’d all grown far too ambitious. Well he’d taught them to dream hadn’t he, taught them that they could reach for their wildest desires. But their desires had grown twisted over the years and now with a few of them getting together to scheme of far bigger things, well it was all going too far. It was getting dangerous. No, he would start afresh with young naive simpletons again. Folks who would be grateful for the fantasies he provided and he would go back to enjoying his work again.   
Cas felt like a nuclear bomb carrying so much power within him as he crept softly out of the front door closing it quietly behind him. It could be hard not getting used to this.  
He gave the house one last look.  
It was just a house. No different from anywhere else. The decor wasn’t so special, the scenery though beautiful wasn’t spectacular. Why was leaving so gut wrenchingly hard? He stopped himself from tidying up round the yard on the way to his car. He tried to shake the feeling compelling him back a little more with each step across the soft lawn onto the gravel hard standing.  
He was determined to do this; he got into his car inhaling deeply its dry dusty familiarity. It didn’t feel like home anymore, not like back there. But it was home and there was more than this that he needed; well there was his dog. ‘Dean’s dog’ he reminded himself, which he would be stealing even if he could find it. He gave a last glance round for the animal, maybe if he... No he was prolonging this way too long now, this need to look, this need to tidy, this need to stay; his freedom was slipping away right from under his very nose because of it and the house looming in the rear view mirror made that seem like not such a bad thing. It wouldn’t kill him. It should be killing him.  
Cas started the engine.   
~

Dean awoke feeling very wrong.   
He was butt naked, on the floor with the whole group in a similar state.   
Well not the whole group Hael wasn’t there, neither was Cas but he couldn’t dwell on any of that right now it was all he could do to keep himself together. He was stupidly weak and felt sick, so sick. Sick to his stomach with some sort of nervous anguish butterflying around inside of him. He pulled himself up and staggered shakily across the floor of bodies to the bathroom where he could shower the stench of anxiety off of himself.  
It did nothing to settle his stomach or the need to fight or cry or rage or something... He gripped the cool porcelain sink and looked at a face he didn’t recognise in the small mirror.   
Eyes red and wild, the man staring back looked crazy; feral even. Dean tried to hold the strangers gaze, tried to understand this thing before him before throwing up what felt like his fading sanity hot and acidic down the sink.  
His head pounded with the stench of sickness coming off of him, thoughts of dread filling his skull till it pounded.

And then it stopped.  
Just like that he felt better.   
There was a car pulling up out front, the crunch of its wheels on the gravel pulled him back to reality.  
Dean splashed cold water over his face glad to recognise himself this time when he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. It wasn’t enough; he needed to shower again and this time properly, really get this stink off. He didn’t even wait for the water to warm, just stepped in and scrubbed at himself till he felt clean. He even hosed down the tub to make sure not a hint of sickness could stick around a moment longer than it had to.  
Then as if the whole episode hadn’t happened Dean patted himself dry and went to investigate who was pulling up. Peeking through his bedroom window he was glad to see it was just Cas’ car, dude must have been up early... a glance at the time told Dean it was gone three in the afternoon...  
Dean swallowed, man he’d been sick alright. Probably only walking about now thanks to his werewolf biology. He searched around his limited view of the grounds, everything seemed fine which was lucky but he knew he better get his act together if he wanted it to stay that way.  
~

When he’d finished Dean returned to the house in wolf form hoping to find something to eat. His last meal had been yesterday before that last sex session and his stomach was near roaring for fuel now.  
Dean wasn’t sure what to expect as he loped in quietly. The house was quiet, incredibly so, peaceful in fact and he could just hear Cas’ voice murmuring from down the hall. He’d cleaned up since Dean had left and was taking a meditation.   
No one smelt ill and from what he could see through the limited gap in the door no one was making any sort of their usual fuss inside either, they were just sitting or lying prone, all listening contently. This was not what Dean had been expecting, not from these ass clowns but it was certainly welcome as the waves of peacefulness coming off of the group now was filling the house with a cool sort of peaceful vibe. Dean curled up outside the door to wait for them to finish and ideally eat.  
He waited, he dosed and subconsciously he started listening to the almost sermon Cas was giving. He was describing a journey. A journey to places Dean had never been. He spoke of glaciers and wide open spaces, of nomads and clear starry nights. Of fishing boats caught up in mountainous seas and of rain falling in a land so dry that every moment of the violent floods was a celebrated. He described mountains that touched the heavens beyond the sky, fish that could slip free of the ocean and fly, of shifting sand dunes and deep sea caves still waiting to be explored.  
“This world is so full of wonder and possibility” Cas said winding down “A lovely quote I always like to remember ‘What we think, we become” We are so fortunate to live in a time when freedom has never been greater. Now!” Cas said pulling himself up far too eagerly and clapping his hands together “let’s think about eating”  
Behind him the group remained still as if stuck in their limp positions. Some were awake and even stretched as if to get up but then flopped back down uselessly to recover.  
Cas didn’t care, in fact he liked them better like this he leapt up and marched out to set about preparing some food.   
Dean pulled himself up to follow, eager to find out what was on the menu. He hoped burgers he wanted burgers but all he could seeing was salad. He snuffled about around the counters looking for something less green he could steal.

“Well trust you to turn up at the first sign of food” Cas said as he spotted the dog, he couldn’t tell him off, not when he was too pleased to see him again “That’s for when everyone else is ready!” He said recuing his salad and rolls before taking pity “Here, so long as you don’t mind raw this is of little use anymore” Cas said offering a paper wrapped cut of beef steak.

Dean took it, gulping it down too fast after so long without. He needed more, like the rest of the cow he was so hungry; he looked at Cas hoping there was more.

“Nope that’s it for now” Cas said touching the side of his face gingerly as it was still determined to swell despite the cold cut he’d been holding against it. He dabbed a finger along his cheek bone with a sharp gasp as he found the split in his skin was still there “Ow” he mumbled pulling open the freezer to retrieve something else cold to hold against himself.

Dean squealed in shock, how had he not seen that? Well Cas had been in the car earlier and then half hidden in the darkened room just now but he should have seen that! He was in the wrong form to ask questions but too angry realise it, Dean vocalised his frustration in some rare and unusual sounds. 

“Not good?” Cas asked amused at the dogs antics. He looked round the freezer door to see what the animal was up to. Jerk’s hackles were up and his face contorted somewhere between a snarl and a grimace, somehow Cas felt the dog wasn’t happy, maybe angry even. He stepped away purposely dropping the meat he’d been about to cool himself with on the floor slightly afraid. 

The dog ignored the food and continued to stare at him intently.

Cas thought he might have read something about this somewhere, like maybe it was a challenge or something but he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Never run was all he could remember. Not that it mattered as Jerk suddenly turned tail and marched out down the hall.  
Cas sighed heavily with relief as he listened to the dogs retreating footsteps. Stupid, he reprimanded himself, the dogs just being stupid again and I fall for it single bloody every time. He bent down to retrieve the abandoned meat and was about to press it against his eye when he heard the front door.  
It hadn’t been open. None of the doors were, how had the dog even gotten in?  
Cas decided it prudent to retrieve the bread knife before investigating this further when Dean marched head strong into the kitchen and rounded in on him.

“What the fuck happened?” Dean demanded so loudly that Cas found himself cowering a little further behind the freezer.

“You’re naked” Cas said trying not to shake with the shock of it all and failing after his horrible experience last night. “Again” he added with a slightly nervous tremble, hoping to lighten the mood between them “A cushion really isn’t suitable outdoor clothing Dean”

“Never mind that” Dean said looming closer “What happened?”

“Nothing, I went out and bumped into Raphael. He looks much worse”

“Raphael did this?”Dean demanded pulling Cas’ shirt about suddenly and sniffing at it. He heard the plastic squish of bags and smelt the toxic chemical taint of Meg’s best covering anything else he might find “Bloody Meg!” He swore frustrated “What’s he look like?”

“How? Wait! What are you doing?” Cas said batting Dean’s hands off

“Trying to help” Dean snapped “Tell me, what did he do?”

“Nothing! Just pushed me around like you’re doing now” Cas snapped back.

Dean stopped he’d got enough of a scent to go on, it would do “He did more than that” Dean said as Cas had flinched away too quickly when he’d reached for the shirt, there was more bruising under there he was sure “Tell me exactly what he did” Dean demanded keeping his alpha tone level enough to suggest he wasn’t about to go into a rage over this, but he was.

“I, I..” Cas tried, fighting to control himself, fighting to disobey the order now holding him to obey.

“Tell me everything” Dean said more firmly.

And Cas couldn’t fight it anymore he’d already blown more than half his power getting away from Raphael and he hadn’t had the heart to feed again off of his already abused clients since, so he folded “I , I ran, I was running” Cas confessed his face screwing with the pain of specking against his will.

“How?” Dean barked “I set traps and spells!”

“I know, magic remember, plus naturally cunning once I know what I’m dealing with”

Dean huffed annoyed “so where were you running to?”

“I don’t know just somewhere else, down the road I think”

“Meg’s. Predictable”

“No. Not at first, but then, yeah I did. And he was waiting for me when I left, so yeah maybe”

“Or someone tipped him off”

“From here? Have you seen the state of them? No I covered my tracks!”

“Meg then” Dean growled, she was dead to him, her and her friends “So what’d he want?”

“Me to join him” Cas said simply but Dean could see the bruising clearer now, blossoming all down his throat, around his wrists...

“Why?” Dean asked looking Cas up and down one more time before determinedly stopped himself, tearing his eyes away before he could find anymore reason to go to town on this Raphael punk “Why you?” 

Cas bristled, yeah he knew he wasn’t strong willed or even built like a fighter like Dean was, but he wasn’t useless.

Dean sensed he’d caused upset but hell, what could Cas do that someone else couldn’t? “To do what I mean, just explain this for me”

Cas wetted his lips thinking hard to find the words adequately sum this up quickly “Raphael, well. He’s a sort of like a warlord back home. Not a great or even especially good one but he’s been making progress; and now... now he’s got a magical emblem, a cow skull that can make the earth bleed oil. But first he needs to evoke it, either with magic or a story so sad that it will weep for its nation”

Dean knew John still had a lock up or two of such objects collected during his years as a hunter. He wondered briefly what had become of them, but now wasn’t the time. “Okay. So why you?”

“I used to believe in change in too, thought I could use my magic to help and so Raphael learned something about my nature” Cas said trying harder not to admit to the next bit because the truth was never something anyone really wanted to hear “Learned that I could be very naive, that I’m probably the easiest supernatural entity to handle. He’s tracked me over the years and he’s tempted some of my more ambitious clients to his cause along the way”

“Fucks sake Cas!” Dean spat “You hang with such garbage”

“He was nice, a good guy. Nathaniel, Gadreel, Anna and whoever else I haven’t guessed yet, Marv maybe they were all nice people, this war has made them bitter. They’re under so much pressure to make change work. They were meant to persuade me to help but Raphael was never patient, he took a chance to take me instead”

“Take you?”

“If I went home and saw what had happened, maybe then I’d help”

“So what next because obviously your still here”

Cas struggled again to hold back his next words like hiding them would maybe make them not true “He’s never known me to pack this much power, I’ve never taken so much before... didn’t even know it was possible” He said catching his now hitching breath “I only meant to push them back Dean” Cas said tears now welling as he fought harder not to tell the rest “Raphael, he’s, he’s dust now”

“Fuck” Dean said feeling Cas’ pain, pulling him in like he would Sammy to console.

Cas melted into the embrace felt the warmth of protection as he tucked his face against Dean’s neck and hid there for a moment after yet another horrible ordeal. This was why he’d come back, to take right here under the protection of an alpha.

“You’re an alpha?” Cas said understanding Dean’s pull, Dean’s control over him. How the hell had he missed that? He felt a ghastly warmth building lower in his body, pooling round his groin. 

“Yeah” Dean said speaking lightly, rocking them both slightly now, waiting for Cas to calm down, feeling that he could share this as Cas had shared so much, feeling that the knowledge of how powerful Dean was would help to soothe Cas further “And I protect my own. I’ve got you now Cas”

Cas wriggled in Dean’s arms, wriggled his arm free, reached up and touched Dean lightly on the forehead. 

Dean’s head filled instantly with fire and burning flesh, with the piercing screams of his mother and horrified wails of Baby Sam in his arms. He could see it, taste it even. He saw his father’s face filling his vision, rough hands gripping his face holding his attention tight to his own eyes full of false confidence. He blocked out all else from Dean’s view all the horror of what was happening around them  
“Run Dean”

Cas watched the colour drain from Dean’s features. He didn’t care, he poured in more magic. He poured in everything he had.

Dean felt the burning heat, hot enough to make his own flesh feel like it was melting. Physically felt the weight of Sammy too heavy in his weak little arms. John roared at him with everything he had “I said RUN!!”

Cas watched Dean go “I hate fucking alphas” he whispered crumbling to the floor.   
He looked at his hands already turning black and paw like, he needed to feed. He’d used so much energy already fending Raphael off... Or maybe it was time he called it a day, went to ground for a real long while. He’d done it before, it wasn’t so bad. Just boring, so very boring. He had longed for humanity then, its childish ways, its problems, its culture and its fantastic food....   
He would return one day. But not now, not when there was a room full of energy just waiting for him feed again.

~

Dean ran, ran with the feel of those hot flames still licking at his heels. Ran with his precious cargo jostling precariously in his grip. Sammy. The the soul reason for his existence from that point till now. He wouldn’t let go. Dean gripped harder knowing now that he couldn’t ever run far enough to keep his little brother safe from everything that would threaten them. But that he’d always give it his all fucking trying.  
He slipped into his wolf form and ran faster, ran till he was out of his territory, till he was beyond the furthest reaches of the horizon that had held him since the change. Ran till he didn’t know why he was even running anymore.   
He was exhausted, alone and scared. He couldn’t deal with any of these things, his mind fled till it reached a place he’d never been, a place deep inside where such things didn’t matter. He shifted further into his wolf form curling in on himself to become smaller, simpler somehow, till he felt nothing, till he could run on totally free.

 

There was nothing chasing him, no weight to carry, no memory of his past. He was full animal now, no different to any other wolf you’d find out wandering. It was peaceful, raw, pure even. He was hungry. He could handle that so he hunted, eking out a living wherever his feet cared to carry him.

Time passed. Too much, yet not enough. It was dark and a moon, bright and full, was rising. 

The wolf watched it from the scrubby wasteland where he lay. Wondered what it was supposed to mean to him.  
As its soft light brightened so did a feeling foreign to the wolf, a feeling of great, great violence. He was hungry, so hungry and more. He wanted blood, blood and carnage, he needed to feast. His mind swelled to fit his building ferocity, his muscles flexed larger for the fantastic fight to come. He could smell civilisation, he could feel his purpose was to clean its stink from the earth. 

He began his hunt under the moons watchful gaze, growing larger with each step flexing his paws into cruel claws as he encountered his first prey sending it and the metal shell it rode careening into a ditch with one mighty swipe.   
The shell wailed in its pain, its lights shooting unnaturally up into the sky as it leaked its foul smelling blood onto the false earth.   
The human, his true prey crawled out, he too was leaking but his fluid smelt sweet as the wolfish beast prowled closer for the kill.

 

The human stood shakily to his feet, his eyes fixed on his dying vehicle.  
“Holy fuck! My fucking Chevy!” He cried falling to his knees “Why god why? That was like my fucking child” he spat hopelessly into the tarmac.

‘Chevy. Impala. Child. Baby’.   
These were words. Words that meant something to the wolf beast. Something far away struggled to surface from the oblivion of the monsters mind it had become lost in.  
More words came, sentences even. Faces. Then questions....  
What the fuck have I done done? How long have I been like this?   
Dean remembered.   
The fear that had driven him to this, it had lasted hours of that he was sure, but his escape into this wild state might have been forever, fatal even. He struggled now to remember everything. Tried to regain himself again or at least as much as was possible. It was too hard but the memory of his natural instincts was still there, he was an alpha and he had a home and a territory to protect. He had purpose and people, friends that he needed.

The alpha beast stood tall and sniffed the air for direction. He was huge, bigger than ever before stronger and darker somehow. And way way way more angry.  
He marched back in the direction of home. Knowing now that things had gotten out of hand, that he needed to fix everything there.

It was a long journey and he stopped but once on the way when he scented death. A vampire, familiar somehow but an ugly distraction all the same. He growled a long feral roar low and harsh, bearing his teeth to the night.  
He saw nothing, couldn’t place the predator distantly circling him. He howled, a deafening noise deeper and more guttural than anything that had been heard for hundreds of years. It was a challenge to the vamp tailing him, a challenge to end this. To threaten him directly or cease its game, to dare try stopping him on his path or be gone, to dare follow and terrorize what was his and be dead.

A voice answered on the breeze “You’re welcome here, anytime, always you are welcome here brother” 

Dean tried to locate it but it was like listening to bats fluttering by. He roared again at the hateful stink of it then marched on.

~

Cas had held his group for a quite a while longer, enough to restore himself back to human form, enough to talk them down from there rebellious state and set them on a better path.   
It was easy now their leader Raphael was gone.   
Easy now they hardly had the energy left in them to string more than a few words together at a time.   
But then he’d felt sorry for them, He remembered Gabriel’s last words to him,   
‘play with your food all you want, but when you’re done finish them. You don’t want to be around when they figure out what you could do for them and these little monkeys are as cunning and wiley as any fox little brother’  
Cas smiled, Gabriel was only moments older and had been the shortest of the litter.  
He knew Gabriel was right, that he was too soft and that his big heartedness would come back to bite him some day. Well already had, but he’d do it again each every time, even if they were all hardly able to stand this time. 

He helped Gadreel out with his bags and Nathaniel up from where he was drifting in and out of sleep on the porch step.

“I just don’t understand” Marv lamented in the door way “I’ve never been ill a day in my life! I feel like death”

“Deer ticks” Cas explained herding them all reluctantly to their cars “The place is over run with them, all that wildlife I was warning you about. I doubt that any of you will have lymes, but a couple of weeks rest to restore your energy before returning to your busy lives wouldn’t hurt”

“Like we have a choice” Marv grumbled

“Remember, plenty of food and lots of rest!” Cas said waving them off.

“I’m still fighting” Anna said speaking up suddenly from behind Cas “Raphael saw the bigger picture was willing to battle for a better tomorrow!” She said though the defiance had all but drained from her. She fixed Cas with a hard stare regardless “You really don’t care anymore do you? You think you’re free now you’re out here on American soil” 

Cas looked at her, trust her never to let something go “Anna even if you could find peace you’d just find something else to fight for. Maybe fighting is your peace?”

“We’re saving lives!”

“Be careful Anna” Cas said using some magic to fill her with a tranquillity he’d felt only once in his life, when he’d last seen Dean he reluctantly admitted to himself. 

Ann resisted, smouldered where she stood till she finally rejected completely the feeling so foreign to her “If you’re looking for an ideal world out here, something someone has already created for you then you’re wasting your time!” She said marching off “It doesn’t exist! I will make it happen though. I will find Raphael and I will win this!” she finished, hiding an embarrassing yawn.

“Goodbye Anna, and have a safe journey” Cas said forcing her into her car. He knew it wasn’t all that hard to resist his magic if it was something you didn’t want to see, but it was hard seeing someone so far from contentment that they couldn’t relax into it even for a moment to dream. And her words had stung. Too true, he was seeking something that might not even exist.   
Even here in this house what he had wanted, what had held him here, was gone. 

There was a stronger calling now, not far just down the road, eighteen miles or so specifically. He would go. but he had soft furnishings here. Four walls with curtains and beds and a kitchen with all the human appliances and trappings of a domestic life. He’d just wallow here a little longer, till his broodiness ebbed. Just allow himself to be an omega a moment more till he remembered he was running away from that too.  
~

Dean crossed the boarders to his land, at last he was back where he belonged, back where he needed to be. But all was not well here. There was a distant thunder on the horizon; and hidden in its noise he could just pick out the foot fall of many monsters headed toward his den. He slipped back into his smaller quicker wolf form and raced for home.

~

 

Cas didn’t no how long he’d stayed. he was just making the place nice again bringing in the last of the sheets to return to their cupboards when the sound of a helicopter broke the silence. He glanced up, it was big, a military helicarrier in fact and it was swinging in low, to low. He grabbed the sheets ripping around him in the strong drafts created by the rotor blades.  
The sheets were gone, and Cas buckled against the force of the wind as the carrier landed on the lawn. 

A smartly suited man plus five more in Kevlar exited the vehicle and slowly made their way toward him.

“Castiel!” The suited man hollered over the noise.

“Michael” Cas called back his heart sinking “to what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“You’re a hard man to pin down my friend and I think we both know why I’m here”

“We’ve talked about this” Cas said firmly 

“Oh but I don’t think you fully understand” Michael smiled “You see I didn’t understand what you were back then. I do now, and I’ve been dabbling a bit in magic myself since then. Now I’m no mage, can’t be without decades of practice, and who has time for that?” Michael laughed “But, if I had something like you to assist me...”

“The answers no, always will be”

“Not an option” Michael smiled as his five goons surrounded Cas “Now you can either come willingly and enjoy this generous opportunity that I am offering, a front row seat as I bring about a whole new world order, or you will come anyway and we will both learn what kind of master you will have me make”

“That’s crazy!” Cas said horrified “And I’m not nearly powerful enough for what I think you’re implying”

“Don’t have to be, I just need something linked to the magical plain to create a spell that will pull a more powerful creature to me. This is happening one way or another Castiel you can’t sit this one out, there will be no side lines nowhere to hide I’m going to start something truly spectacular! And beautiful, it will be beautiful and fair! Fair to everyone willing to become a part of it. It will be heaven on earth everything anyone’s ever wanted”

“But you’ll be holding all of the power”

“Hmm” Michael smiled “Someone has to, and with it comes its privileges I won’t pretend that doesn’t appeal”

There was an uncomfortable stare down between the two men. 

Cas’ hair began to crackle as he tried to build enough energy to create a distraction, something he could use to get away. His efforts were pitifully useless however.

Michael smiled wider “Hope you’ve got enough juice for this!” He said watching Cas’ hair rise with the static energy “Only, I've done my research and took this mode of transportation for good reason. Your power should be sufficiently diluted by the blades to render it practically ineffective”

Cas realised Michael was right, he would have to give it everything he had if he wanted a chance to stay free. He grit his teeth and concentrated on building up a super massive charge, it would mean possibly killing everyone. Michael he could live with, maybe even the others, he couldn’t let himself be exploited in Michael’s plan.   
He pulled free his tail already visibly crackling blue with energy

Around him the goons all wavered confused 

“Put on the goggles!” Michael ordered

The men remembered what Michael had said about this man and pulled on the special eye wear switching on the infra red.

“Sir I can still see the tail? I thought you said these would help us see through his illusions”

“Yes” Michael shouted patently over the noise “the tail is real! Look he’s hardly going to kill you with it so just get on with it!” 

“But sir? What about the monsters in the tree line? I can still see those too”

Everyone looked around “are they real too? Should we shoot? Sir?”

Michael hesitated unsure for a moment, Cas’ technique was to use your own fear against you, but he didn’t fear people in monster costumes, hell even as a child he’d paid good money to watch such clowns.

“That’s not me they’re real” Cas said helpfully “We need to run”

“He’s bluffing!” Michael laughed “I briefed you about this remember? So okay the infra red doesn’t cancel out the illusions but nothing he does to scare you is real, those can’t even touch you!”

The monsters were advancing, running at them now

“Shit!” Michael’s men shouted opening fire and watching confused as the beasts didn’t care about being shot at.

Michael shouted again, as even his own alarm bells started ringing, “You’ve got better at this Castiel! Even if I tell myself their not there, I can’t stop myself from seeing them!“

“Their real Michael, please get back in that copter and go!”

“Ha! Nice try!” Michael scoffed “Don’t anyone be afraid! It’s all lies, just take him and let’s go!”

The men edged closer. Cas’ tail bristled and grew as he tried to up build up a charge, a line of fur sprouted up his spine in his effort to compete with the propellers, he couldn’t do it!.

“That’s it little fox show me what you are truly capable of” Michael laughed “It’s a great show so far, really enjoying it! Look goose bumps!”

Cas squeezed his eyes tighter and tried again. Two of the goons closest gasped in horror and bolted.

“Sir?” The three remaining said starting to back up back toward the safety of the copter.

“No!” Michael shouted “I’m paying you all millions to just pick him up and put him in the helicopter! Ignore what you know is obviously impossible! There is no such things as monsters!”

But the men weren’t listening they were freaking out and running now.  
Cas stopped his feeble efforts his hands were reduced to sooty paws and he could feel his ears were losing shape, he was done. “Michael they’re real!” he said again but it was too late. The fasted of the monsters was nearly on them, teeth bared in his giant maw as it slowed to roar its fury.

“Get back here! There not real!” Michael commanded to his fleeing crew, walking backwards towards the oncoming danger to emphasize his point “It’s all a part of his magic! It’s just an illusion! All of it” 

The lead beast ripped into his shoulder, Michael was in three separate pieces and still talking as his blood pumped out at every angle. 

The beast roared as the others passed chasing after the runners.  
Cas stayed down low to scared to move.

Dean made it back to the house in time to see his dad tearing into someone; his pack, John, all of them were lost to their monster forms and livid with rage at the intrusion to their den.   
Dean ran over getting between John and Cas who had fallen in a state of panic on the ground. 

“No Jerk! No!” Cas screamed coming to his senses enough to try and stop the dog from killing itself, But it wasn’t Jerk, or it was, but bigger. “Jerk!?” Cas screamed again anyway reaching for the stupid animal.

Jerk turned, not just around but completely into a human male right before Cas’ eyes making him find his feet enough to finally scoot away.   
“Dean?” Cas whispered

“Stay down! I’ve got this” Dean barked as his father still dripping with blood loomed over them both “Enough!” He shouted his alpha voice guttural and strong.

John stopped surprised to be challenged on his own territory and by another alpha. He bared his teeth the red haze of fighting still holding him fast, “There can be only one alpha!” he roared

“There is” Dean spat changing up into true form. Becoming taller and broader and bigger still, refusing to stop till he stood head and shoulders above his father “I’m ALPHA!”

 

The fight that followed was the worst either had ever been through, worst in recorded were history. 

It took everything Kate had to separate them, her boys, her pack, her mighty vision of what could be achieved when she’d first laid eyes on that hunter who had come to destroy the last of her weakling kind so long ago.  
That hunter whose life blood sang with a sort of saving grace she knew she needed to resurrect her species.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the positive response to this Xx

When Dean had looked again Cas was gone.  
Dean stopped dead; all the fight having gone from him. They’d been at it for so long.

John continued tearing into him lost in his rage and Kate carried on yammering while holding off as many of John’s blows as she could.

Dean didn’t care. He wasn’t concerned enough to be bothered by any of it. He’d heal up again, John would too eventually, so what did any of this really prove?  
As the monotonous red cleared from his vision Dean looked around, taking in all the devastation about them. Body parts from people he hadn’t known and strange pieces of metal littered the lawn about them. He vaguely remembered the pack pulling the helicopter back down and tearing into it. The deafening noise it had created, the whirling blades twisting as they connected with the lawn, the stench of the fuel spilling and the terrible sounds the pilot had made.

The smoke was still there thick and acrid but everything was still now, the pack had moved. Dean could still hear them banging around somewhere distant, inside the house. He listened a little longer but heard nothing else; there were no more victims to be had.

Dean sniffed around kicking at the too long grass around him, wishing absently that he’d kept up with his chores between everything else that had been going on. He was looking for answers, a track or scent even; a task that would have been much quicker if there wasn’t so much to look through. He pushed the trampled clumps around again.

Behind him John was coughing and panting, coming back to his senses after his terrible rage as Kate held him steady.

“Did you see where he went?” Dean asked, relaxed enough now to look nearly human again.

Kate was still very far from that; she growled hard, her face snarling up fierce and ugly “Who?” she snapped through her still elongated muzzle.

Dean knew that this should not be your first concern when welcoming your pack home but couldn’t care. Their absents had caused a rift, there was no denying it. Dean wanted them all to go back to being gone, their presents was intrusive, their attack amateur. Even having to explain himself to their less than astute observations grated “the guy” Dean said pointing to the ground beside him where the indentation of a body having fallen flattening the grass was still fresh “He was right here; did you see anyone run off? or anything?” 

“There was nothing there” Kate snapped before realising that she was addressing an alpha now, not a subordinate. She adopted a more humble posture till she could grasp a better understanding of how things were going to be between them now “I didn’t see anybody there” She confirmed.

“There was, a creature” John barked sensing Dean’s concern on this strange matter. He was still struggling to calm down from his rage to a state where speech came easy for him, he hated that Dean had done it so fluidly and from a much larger monstrous state. “Didn’t see where it went, if the pack didn’t get it, they will” He said gauging Dean’s reaction to each word, curious as to why this mattered more than any pack greetings “Why?”

“Nothing” Dean said feeling somehow hollower than before.“S’nothing”

John stared at him a while, it was obvious who the greater alpha was, but Dean hadn’t challenged him for leadership, hadn’t even bothered to finish the battle he’d started. Something wasn’t right, Dean smelt off, and John wondered if it wasn’t more than just the change presenting brought.  
Dean bristled under his scrutiny and John felt an anger within his son, deep and dark like an undercurrent threatening to swell at a moment’s notice, he staggered to a more passive stance leaning more heavily on Kate with the excuse his wounds afforded him. He did hurt, in fact he was torn to shit and at a time when the territory was under threat.  
“So you’re an alpha now?” John huffed, pinpointing Dean’s uncoordinated behaviour as the reason for their disgrace. The pack had needed them, and they, the alphas had wasted their time on each other. John felt his own anger rising again and tried harder to calm down.

 

Dean shrugged. 

John took that as confirmation that he still led for the time being even if he would be treading carefully from now on. He took a deep calculating breath and willed himself to see the positives in this their new situation.  
“Good, we need strength and boy, you’re certainly packing!” John said trying for amity “You’ll have to let us in on your secret, though I can’t even see dragons being much of a problem now what with you packing that much punch!” 

Kate smiled tentatively, hugging John a little tighter to her “We’re going to be a strong pack now” She said looking at the pair of beaten alphas, they hadn’t destroyed each other, that was something. There was hope here and enough monsters to give them all a common cause to work toward “Strong enough to take on every monster that comes our way!”

“Yeah” John smiled “It’s going to be easy now, the packs together!” he said deciding to ignore Dean’s changed scent for the time being. First things first, the pack needed regroup. They’d essentially retreated when they’d turned back toward home after figuring too late that they’d spread themselves too thin for far too long..  
“Let’s go sort things out, see what’s left of our house” John said pulling Kate with him as he began limping across the lawn. “We’ll need to draw up new plans, maybe concentrate on more defensive tactics here on in.....”

Dean stayed silent; they had yet to notice it then, the rift. He hoped that maybe it would somehow heal before anyone else did, it was stupid him feeling this way, unexplainable. This was meant to be what they had all been working for for so long, a family, safe and protected from all the danger the world posed. No more demons attacking in the night! There’d be no more watching their backs and no more moving on. They had a chance to actually dare to be happy now.... 

John and Kate rambled on as they made their way over to catch the rest of the pack up. Dean followed silently, apprehensive of what they were going to find.  
There was nothing, none of the guests or hippy shit Dean had come so accustomed too. No sign in fact that anyone else had ever been here except for the foreign boxes of tea and rabbit food in the kitchen, the odd candle and self help book here and there and of course the shit tons of money pouring out of the upended furniture in the hall. 

Adam had turned human especially to revel in it. Throwing wads of it in the air and running around giggling himself silly under the flurry of falling notes. The blood, still wet staining his skin added a surreal gruesomeness to the scene.

The rest of the pack had calmed a little too, turning half way back to their human states to better appreciate the windfall.

Dean could still hear the odd bit of furniture being thrown around up stairs but sensed the worst of the packs need for carnage had abated now they were home.

John and Kate got straight to examining the money, needing to determine if this was really happening before they dared join the jovial rampage Adam was whipping up.

“Quiet!” John hollered at the pup as he whooped and whistled up and down the hall.

Adam was on an adrenaline high and his joyful playfulness was proving infectious “We’re home, we’re rich and we can have fun now!” he shouted defiantly.

“Let’s leave him be” Kate said “He’s earned a little time out, we all have and he’s not doing any harm”

“He’s destroying the furniture!” John snapped “and there’s still monsters out there to be dealt with”

“I know!” Kate sighed, “but we need a break, you included! Let’s just enjoy the moment a little longer before we get back to it” She persisted to Johns grumbled protests.

Dean was feeling distinctly off and in need of air. He slipped out onto the porch, closing the door behind him to stare out over the view.  
Everything felt changed; this wasn’t all his responsibility anymore. The burden of defending so much alone was gone leaving him feeling strangely unbalanced, feeling strangely bereft of purpose. 

Cas’ car was still there; its hood caved in too far and it’s insides torn out littering the ground in a wild ark.  
Cas had a lot of shit.  
Had, there was no way he was salvaging anything form that mess even if he was stupid enough to show his face here again. Dean doubted he would, the sight of a pack of werewolves coming home would put even the most suicidal gung-ho hunters off hunting for a while.

Dean scanned the wreckage for anything of importance. It looked as if someone had just over stocked on hippy paraphernalia then come to their senses and dumped it, but he searched anyway glad for the distraction from his own thoughts.  
There was nothing. No photos or clues of family or origin, no indication of plans or destination... Nothing. Dean found himself feeling more dissatisfied than he had any right to be with that. How could anyone live like this? If you were to look through his old duffel you’d find mementos of everything he held dear, pictures of those he loved, scraps of evidence of where’d he’d been, clues as to who he was when... That bag had sat untouched ever since the change... 

Dean shook that line of thought from his mind and stepped down closer to scour some more, close enough to scent all the lingering smells in the debris, needing the diversion.  
Fragrances of sea salt, sap and foreign pollens jumped instantly out at him, scents he hadn’t encountered before let alone since his change. Scents that seemed so new and powerfully exotic to him now with his enhanced senses; reminding him of Cas’ descriptions of distant far away places.  
He could almost taste the colourful spices still lingering on various plastic pots, almost see the endless sky inhabited by the bird who’s massive feather, still fresh and cold with ozone lay discarded on the lawn...  
Dean stepped in closer still, till he was almost inside the crushed shell of the car. There were more scents to be had here, scents of herbs and turf, rain and animal. Dean felt as if he could lose himself here, like by closing his eyes he was stepping into another world, it wasn’t home, that was behind him, this was like the first step out the door to somewhere else, somewhere beyond... Somewhere new and wild yet at the same time comfortingly familiar. Like nothing he’d ever imagined. Like action adventure books and the safety of hiding under your covers all rolled into one. There was ancient forest, Jurassic river bed, volcanic ash and rich flood sediment. Poisonous seeds, jungle honey coomb and a black tar like substance so toxic Dean couldn’t even begin to fathom where it could have originated.  
There was something more here too, something different, something else entirely. A scent so sweet, so alluringly fragrant that Dean was finding himself obsessively searching to pin down its source. It wasn’t trapped in the rust pockets, vents or fabrics like everything else, it permeated everything, as enticing as sugared fruit mellowing over a warm heat, as divine as.... 

“What are you doing?” John barked.

Dean scrambled away back to reality, a broken car on a messy lawn outside a house full of people complaining loudly as they threw open every window and door available to them. They had all apparently stopped when they had noticed Dean out here, fixated with something that wasn’t in the least bit pack related.

John sniffed around curiously “It smells worse than the house” he said grimacing “What is this? A glorified hobo trolley? What kind of weirdo’s were you renting our home out to? And what were you doing out here exactly?” 

“Just needed to clear my head” Dean said clearing his throat self consciously yet standing a little taller, posturing even as John continued to look round some more. 

“You’re looking for that thing” John said taking interest now he could see Dean finally adopting a more alpha like stance while avoiding his questions “What was it? Was it powerful?”

“Not especially” Dean said eventually as John continued to circle. He tried not to bristle but it was like John was purposely pressing all his buttons without actually doing anything.

John picked up a faded hemp shirt gingerly between two fingers and Dean suddenly felt ready to go another ten rounds.

John dropped the shirt as if stung “You know how these alpha sense’s work don’t you? You Know I can feel you”

Dean stopped himself thinking, distanced himself from this angry over reaction he was having to John picking through his friends stuff.

John felt Dean grow colder, cold till he was shark like and distant; it sent shivers through him. He wasn’t able to fight like that again, not so soon but somehow Dean was. His boy was becoming a most incredible monster.  
“Look, if this thing was important to you than its important to us! We’re pack remember? But you have to let us know what’s going on here, otherwise I can only assume it has some hold or curse on you, that it’s a threat”

Dean calmed himself; he didn’t want to fight any more than John did. “I ordered it to stay” Dean explained as impartially as he could, afraid to speak too much till he himself understood what was happening here “I commanded with the alpha voice and he left anyway. I just, I just don’t get it”

“Nothing defies an order” John said assuredly, glad Dean was talking again; glad he was back on board and perhaps just struggling with understanding all his new capabilities. “It’s got to still be here, the house reeks of it, it’ll be hard to follow it’s laid so many trails in our absents, but we’ll find it” John said waiting for Dean’s reaction. Waiting for him to protest or request they kept it alive or something. 

Dean just nodded as if unconcerned.

John growled dissatisfied, Dean had all the brawn alright but none of the passion or drive that made an alpha truly an alpha “Where’s Sam?” 

Dean blanched, for the first time in his life he didn’t know the answer to that question. He hadn’t seen, spoken or even thought about Sammy for ages now  
“I, I don’t know” He said stumbling over his own tongue “I’m, I’ve got to go lie down” Dean said retreating back inside toward his room clutching his stomach as he did.

John watched him go, almost doubling over himself at the wave of misery suddenly pouring off of his son. He knew something was off, he knew Dean didn’t smell right and there it was, Dean was no alpha not in the real sense, he’d lost all sense of responsibility to family and to pack, he was despondent and needed bringing back. He needed a leader’s guidance.  
John straightened up, his whole life had been about saving his wayward family and his work here was far from done. He needed to work harder than ever before if he wanted to whip this pack into a team strong enough to survive.

~

 

The gentle sound of a prius pulling up announced Sam’s arrival. Sam jogged in and Dean half heartedly listened to the commotion below.

Sam spoke confidently, smooth as silk in fact as he rung off the excuses for his absents. Eventually he finished excusing himself to ask “Is everything Okay? I mean we still had a couple of weeks still to go before...?”

John’s stony glare stopped Sam babbling any further “You reek of bitch” he stated coldly “You’ve been off chasing tail while we fought day and night out there defending our territory”

Sam swallowed hard at the accusation and took a step big back toward the door “I...”

“While we fought” Adam’s high pitched voice leapt from somewhere down the hall “Didn’t see any alpha’s taking down ‘copters or finding treasure!”

Kate grinned affectionately as she always did round Adam, John rolled his eyes as he usually did with all his sons.

Sam looked mystified, mystified and undeniably grateful for the interruption as John turned to tell Adam off for running in the house, again. 

“Sounds like I missed a lot” Sam muttered under his breath to Kate.

“Yep” Adam said still racing in in time to catch his words, still as utterly high on his achievement as he had ever been. He rounded the corner feet slipping on the hard wood floor to tell Sam and remind everyone yet again of his greatness “I did it all! Killed all the men despite their guns and battle armour”

“Kevlar!” Kate corrected “And there weren’t any guns” she whispered to Sam as an aside.

Adam frowned at the interruption “I Jumped really high! like this!” He said tapping Sam’s brow as Sam dodged back “And took down their copter, and then I saved the house and found the loot! Now we never have to leave again! Thanks to me!”

“Well done” Sam said solemnly

Adam smiled widely for a second before ducking John’s grab at him and racing off down the hall again totally indifferent to the stale situation he was leaving behind.

“So...” Sam said too aware of the stale situation he was currently in the middle of and wanting out too “I’d um, I guess I’d better put a poster up in Ellen’s explaining that all future sessions here will be cancelled now” he said awkwardly looking round for some confirmation, hoping he might be wrong on this.

“Yeah do that!” John barked pacing about again “but come straight back! I want this pack back together now, we’re under increasing threat and you have to play your part! We need to start training, get prepared for what’s to come” 

Sam looked down respectfully “Yes sir”

John huffed, disappointed Sam had folded so easily, disappointed neither Sam nor Dean fought back at him like Adam did. Disappointed at himself for bringing them up so weak. He hoped there was still time!  
They needed more muscle that was clear and soon. Dean’s change so far had been bitterly disappointing and Sam didn’t look like he was planning to present at all, maybe he’d only make a beta after all this? The pack didn’t need another beta.  
“Said it was all a bad idea to begin with!” John grumbled trying to drop that train of thought, “We should never have left! Look at all this! Fucking disaster!” he griped as his pacing took him down the hall toward the kitchen.

Sam sighed with relief the moment he was gone. “What’s eating him?” he asked righting a chair in an attempt to tidy up only to discover that it was hiding a hundreds of hundred dollar paper aeroplanes beneath it.  
Sam stared bemused at the strange mess for a minute before putting the chair back down in such a way that it only buried half the mess but at least you could sit on it now. 

Kate stepped closer hugging Sam warmly to welcome him back proper to the fold before hesitantly explaining the situation “Dean’s an alpha” 

“Well, yeah” Sam said “I told you that last time we spoke on the phone”

Kate nodded but still looked pained “Well, there’s been some pecking order issues”

“Oh” Sam said confused “Is that, normal?” 

“Not really, at least not like this, not with blood related were’s”

“If it’s any consolation, butting heads is something of a tradition with Winchester’s”

“Hmm” Kate agreed a little amused “Well it has been a while; I mean I was still a pup last time I even saw an alpha but from what I understand pack came first; always. Alpha’s either challenged or fell in line to defend the family. Dean’s doing neither. In fact” She took a deep breath before admitting to the absurdity of it all “he’s refusing to come out his room altogether”

“That’s not like him” Sam said, as Dean usually sulked under his baby’s bonnet, not that Dean sulked at all if you asked him “Jeez, I thought this presenting was going to be a good thing”

“It is, or it will be when everything settles, but I think” Kate swallowed hard “I think Dean’s sick. He smells... sour”

Sam frowned not sure what to do with that, Kate was the expert on all things were here and Sam was sure this was not something he’d have read about in his hunter books “So what now?”

“I honestly don’t know Sam” Kate shrugged looking totally out of her depth “But this sickness or whatever Dean has, it’s upsetting the rest of the pack, you’ll start to feel it too the longer you’re here, it’s like a creeping hopelessness, we all volunteer for ever longer patrols just to get away from it”

Sam felt his throat tighten; he swallowed down the thought of Dean being distressed or pained or anything that wasn’t his usual totally focused on the task at hand demeanour “I’ll go talk to him” 

Kate smiled gratefully.

~

Dean heard the foot falls getting nearer, heard the knock on his door but couldn’t will himself to respond. He felt like crap all torn up on the inside and so very, very sick. He’d looked forward to reclaiming his bed, to burying himself somewhere he knew felt like his, but it smelt like the bottled freshness only a detergent could think smelt good.  
His whole skin and temper felt prickly to the extent that he wished Sam would just distance himself like everyone else thankfully did.

Sam was not everyone else “Dean” he persisted outside the door knocking again “Look I know you’re in there” He said trying the handle impatiently. It wasn’t locked and Sam cautiously let himself in, backtracking a step or two as the smell inside hit him; valiantly he pushed in regardless  
“Dean” he tried again but the lump on the bed wasn’t responding. Sam walked around opening the window and pulled up a chair so he could sit where Dean was facing making himself impossible to ignore.

Dean watched Sam getting comfortable. His hair was longer than ever and he was sporting the most ridicules set of side burns. Despite the depth of his melancholy funk Dean began to grin at the opportunity to rip the piss a little  
“Grow those out little further and I can start calling you Lemmy” 

“Ruby likes ‘em” Sam said patiently

“Grow ‘em out a little further and she’ll like ‘em more”

Sam just rolled his eyes “Dean what’s going on?”

“I’m sick”

“Really? I couldn’t smell” Sam grimaced, 

“Ha ha bitch” Dean croaked wanting to roll over now.

“Seriously, you gonna wash?” Sam said unsympathetically watching Dean struggle.

Dean sighed giving up “Can’t be bothered, I’m just going to sleep it off I think”

“That’s not like you” Sam said disappointed at his brother’s lack of effort. He glanced around the room surprised to see Dean hadn’t moved anything back in yet “How long have you been like this?”

“Since they got back”

“Dean, that was Tuesday! Today’s Friday?”

“I know!” Dean said defensively, because seriously he didn’t know he could stare at a wall that long without permanently damaging his brain or retinas or something, maybe he had “I recon I caught it off ‘em, or their trying to poison me, where have you been anyway?”

“Busy, I had a few things” Sam gestured vaguely “but that’s not important what’s matters is this, how can you not be better with our advanced healing capabilities? And seriously how can you smell that bad without asphyxiating yourself or something?”

“I don’t know” Dean muttered keeping the whole possibly going rouge incident and bone deep feeling of disassociation from pack to himself. “But if it goes as fast as it came on I should be fine before long”

“And if it doesn’t?” Sam asked sceptically, he hadn’t expected an answer but Dean’s look of total resignation spurred his need to fix this, fix it while he still could. He couldn’t leave his brother like this. “I’m going to hit the books, maybe if I google hormonal changes or side effects brought about by presenting we might find something to go on”

“Unless there’s some angsty diary keeping were no one ever heard about I can guarantee you no one will have written about this shit” Dean moaned “It would totally put an end to anyone presenting ever again, like ever!”

“That bad?”

“I won’t lie, this is ten times worse than puberty” Dean croaked pathetically “and instead of being all up and down and jerking off 24/7 you just want to cry yourself to death. I’m like the embodiment of a radiohead track right now, that one when he’s got his head in the box that’s filling with water, you know?”

Sam sat back unsure if Dean was being serious or not.  
If suffering were to have a smell however, then Dean reeked of it, Sam could literally feel a building distress inside himself just being round him this long.  
“Do you need anything?” Sam said suddenly feeling desperately sorry for Dean but needing now to get out and help, or recover and then help “I can fetch your walkman and cassettes from the lodge?” 

Dean lifted the arm he’d thrown across his face “Could you grab some clothes too?”

“Sure” Sam said hesitating on leaving Dean like this, Dean never leave him, but the smell! It wasn’t healthy and Dean couldn’t be enjoying it either “Why don’t you come with? Get out this room for a bit”

“The smell” Dean huffed dramatically

“Yeah” Sam agreed because there was no denying it “So Just alpha command everyone to stop noticing,” He said already planning a route round to where Dean’s baby was parked, if this was all psychological? After all Dean looked physically fine, so if it was then maybe....? 

“No!” Dean said wetting his lips as he considered any consequences to telling Sam this, he couldn’t think of any, they were loyal to each other before pack and always would be he was sure. “I mean them” Dean whispered.  
“Ever since they got back I can’t get over how wrong they all smell. You too” Dean said getting up enough to lean closer, his nose wasn’t quite as good since being sick but he considered that a blessing right now  
“Okay not you, it’s just where Kate touched you, you smell fine other than that, but it’s really not nice, makes me feel worse in fact” Dean huffed weakly too drained to really laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. “Weird huh?” He added remembering suddenly that he wasn’t going to mention any of that.  
He glanced over at Sam who looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, literally; felt like one too. 

“I smell different?” Sam said swallowing hard “Like how? How different?”

“I don’t know different, not offensive, just different”

“Okay” Sam said slowly “Is there anything else you’ve noticed?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, anything!”

“No, nothing then” Dean said but Sam still looked agitated “Look I’m sure it’s just the sickness, I’ll get over it” Dean explained “I’m not going to go rouge and start attacking everyone or nothing okay?”  
Sam gave him a wet eyed look Dean couldn’t quite place; it was the kind of look a loved one might give if they never expected to see you again.  
“I’m fine Sammy” Dean grouched, “Totally fine! Just sick don’t look at me like I’m dying! I wouldn’t do that”

“I know, the amount of stupid near misses when we were kids” Sam huffed “Remember that time with the phoenix blood? You always had to eat everything”

“Yeah and that stupid monster thought it got lucky catching me! Man, but that was nothing compared to when I got caught out hustling pool, glad none of those dicks were ever fast enough” Dean smiled. Smiled despite the sickness claiming him, it was good Sam was back.

Sam huffed a long sigh, as much as he wanted to laugh fondly with his brother right now, and really he did but, those days, that life had been hell. Dean had always had the ‘we survived’ optimism where as Sam didn’t, couldn’t even. They should never have been put in all those horrible situations... 

“Don’t feel that way” Dean said, pleaded almost “Those were good times! It was us against the world! Remember?”

“I’ll go get your stuff” Sam decided abruptly making for the door.  
He’d forgotten just how sensitive alphas were to emotion! He’d have to be way more careful in future! He was too close to freedom to slip up now. He’d fix his brother and then he’d get out, he was more sure than ever with that little reminder that he needed to do this!  
Maybe Dean would come with him?  
Sam knew that that would never happen; it was the worst part of the plan. Dean had taken to being a monster as easily as he had taken to everything shit that had ever happened to them. So long as they were all together Dean was happy so walking out was never going to be an option. And even if he did it would only be to care for Sam some more, that wasn’t a life anymore than this was!  
Sam knew deep down that he couldn’t help his brother; not really, Dean had to want to save himself...

“How is he?” Kate asked watching and waiting for Sam to come down.

Sam near jumped out of his skin “Not good” he told her in a hushed voice “I mean he looks fine but...”

“I know, we can’t explain it either” Kate agreed sympathetically “His change was huge” she said thoughtfully “I’ve never heard of a were turning into a monster as huge as he did, ever! In all the stories and passed down histories....” She shook her head recalling the scene “It was, he was spectacular! But I can’t help but think since it happened and since this” she pointed up the stairs to here the smell emanated from “I can’t help but wonder if perhaps it wasn’t too much too soon? Do you know what I mean?”

“Yeah maybe” Sam agreed “It’s a good place to start looking for ways to fix this as any that’s for sure” 

Kate smiled warmly “That’s the spirit! You’ll fix him! I know you will!”

Sam smiled back squeezing Kate’s arm as he spoke and picking up as much of the pack scent as he subtlety could. “I’ll do my best, Dean’s never died on me yet” Sam said off handedly but the image of their last hunt as humans flashed through his mind as the words left him, of Dean dying in their fathers hands as he turned them.

“Sam?” Kate said looking concerned “Sam you okay?”

“Yeah” Sam muttered pulling himself together “Yeah, sorry just, you know, the smell. I’d better get on and research”

 

~

 

For a long while after that it seemed Sam and Kate were the only sane two on the property. The pack spent nights away now obsessively looking for trouble while Dean remained bedridden.  
Sam could find nothing that would help online and John forbade him from leaving the territory to research elsewhere, so after exhausting the old hunting books for clues Sam and Kate turned to urban legends and folktales in their effort to find answers.  
The only thing that they could find that even came close to fitting Dean’s affliction however was the loss of ones ‘true mate’. 

“Ugh this is hopeless” Sam sighed exhaustedly, rubbing at his over strained eyes “We need more to go on than this!”

Kate was still pouring over the romantic stories “No, it’s got to be this. All the symptoms fit, more so than any of the spells curses or entrapments John seems to think he’s under”

“Are you sure it’s even a thing and not just an over romanticized notion?”

Kate stared at him “Yes it’s a thing, a very rare thing but still, it happens” She said firmly

Sam scowled, certain he was the wrong gender to really get this “Did it happen for you?” he asked not sure he really wanted to know but still as curious as always. 

Kate thought a little before answering “No, I don’t think it’s something that can happen with a human, I think it’s a monster thing. I fell in love with John for his qualities not blindly because my soul told me to”

“So what would happen then if you’re true mate showed up tomorrow?”

“I don’t know” Kate said suspicious Sam was now poking fun “And I hope I’ll never be tested that way because true mates that can’t be together wind up broken, true mates that bond in some way and then can’t be together, well , that can be fatal for them”

“Fatal? Really??” Sam scoffed “bit dramatic don’t you think? What if you could just be friends?”

“No, a true mate is someone your soul literally can’t live without” 

“Okay” Sam said sill sceptical “So what if you met and I don’t know got off on the wrong foot and hated each other?”

“You’d still be true mates and fall in love”

“What if one of you moved state or something so it couldn’t happen?”

“You wouldn’t be able to resist each other like that”

“So what if you lived in the same town but never met, the opportunity just never happened?”

“You’d just have to catch scent of your true mate to know that they were the wolf for you Sam! it’s a powerfully massive occurrence! It’s why it’s mentioned so often in our histories” Kate explained but could see she still wasn’t selling it, she sighed exasperated, humans never got it! “It’s rare, but it happens and I think that’s what’s happening here”

“Okay. So let’s say that is what’s happening here, what do we do about it?”

“Well there’s the thing, there’s nothing we can do. This is Dean’s mate, he has to get up and find her to fix this, he’s not going to be the only one suffering they should be seeking each other out and um” She glanced at Sam, sure he was mature in years but he was still immature in were standards having not presented yet which made Kate a little self aware about explaining things in too much detail to him. Were sex was different to human sex, it was why you turned your mate once you fell in love. “They should be seeking each other out and bonding together” she finished.

“So what’s gone wrong?”

“I don’t understand, it should be irresistible this thing between them, to make themselves sick like this? When the pack needs the numbers, is literally begging for another alphas strength, well its frustrating is what it is” Kate huffed

“When the pack needs the numbers” Sam repeated under his breath, Dean had something he didn’t want to share, something he’d give his health for to keep separate... There was hope for his brother then, all they needed was for something to change and Sam knew that change was coming, he’d pinned all his hopes on it.  
“So it’s up to Dean now I guess”

“We could encourage him to get up and fix himself; you could explain how he would be helping both himself and her by doing something about this” Kate said filling with hope as a new plan formed in her head “if she’s out there alone or if she has a pack we’d welcome them here to join us, they’d be safer here! We could work together! Tell him that Sam, explain to Dean what he needs to do, he’ll listen to you.”

“I’ll try, but he’s still sick, I don’t know if he’ll be jumping up and searching anytime soon”

“We’ll help him; we’ll carry him if we have to. The sooner we can fix this the better!”

Sam went up to sit with his brother a bit. He sat silently looking out the window in the direction of town and to where Ruby was. This is what he did now to avoid John reminding him how weak he was, where he retreated to when pretending to be a part of a pack got too exhausting. And now he came here to get away from Kate too it seemed, he couldn’t stand to be burdened with her hopes for him to help out anymore than he already was as well.  
He wished he brought a book up with him as Dean wasn’t much of a talker these days and he had the feeling he would be here quite a while with only his thoughts to amuse himself with. That was a dangerous thing as his plans moved slowly and he wanted change now.

“Thanks” Dean whispered from the bed beside him

Sam turned from the window surprised Dean was even awake “Huh?”

“For not pushing with all that crap Kate was talking about”

“You heard?”

“Yeah, and its bollocks”

Sam nodded “You’ll get better when you’re ready” he smiled genuinely pleased Dean was talking today. He’d lost weight, he’d lost his colour but he was eating and drinking and stinking just fine. If he wanted to just lie here, and Sam had a strong suspicion now that there was more on Dean’s mind than even he knew about, then Sam was happy to hide out here with him.  
“Anything new happen that I should Know about on Dr.Sexy?” Sam asked gesturing to the lap top sat permanently open on the bed.

“Too much, you’re gonna need to get comfortable for this”

“Fine” Sam said settling himself further into his seat and propping up his feet up “Hit me”

~

 

Weeks passed.  
Sam found ways to sneak off of the property without being noticed. He had to, to make sure that everything was still going to plan, that this change was going to happen. He felt like he was saving the pack as well as himself now, saving them all from this desperate situation they were falling into.  
The pack was still struggling to fight off all the monsters that surrounded them. It was a battle that never ended, they patrolled a very small area now letting more monsters pass every day, saving their strength to deal with the aggressive ones.  
Dean wasn’t getting any better; and now John was starting to lose it too. The pack needed direction, direction from a leader who wasn’t going mad with grief over loss, for John it was the loss of of his favourite son. An ache that grew worse with every passing day that Dean remained a burden, useless to them stuck in that bed.

Sam was too occupied with other things right now to really let that knowledge get to him. 

Adam on the other hand was taking it very personally.

“I could tranq him” Adam said when he and Kate were again discussing what to do about the situation they were stuck in “Think about it. It would put him and us all out of our misery, without that stink distressing us all the time we would be able to fight much better”

“No!” Kate said, “That’s like, you’d be going against the natural order of things, we follow alpha’s we don’t, we don’t do things like that!”

“But why?” Adam moaned taking another spoon full of muesli from the box he’d found as he pondered out loud “If all our alpha’s are smelly and distracted and stupid then we should take charge”

“Don’t ever say that!” Kate scolded “It was the loss of the alpha’s that nearly wiped out all were’s in the first place” She said looking at him from where she was busy chopping meat “You’re too young to understand but we have been on the decline for so long! We need alphas, and now we have them we have to trust in their decisions, they are by their nature strong leaders”

Adam frowned not happy about this “We must have got duff one’s, both ours are useless” he grumbled

“You’re father is not useless” Kate said patiently

“Yes he is, I can feel it” Adam persisted while digging deeper into his box and scrunching round the packet inside. “He feels just like Dean and soon he’ll be stinking like him too, then you’ll see, then you’ll believe me, they’re useless”

Kate stopped chopping “What makes you say all this?”

“Mom, I can just feel it”

“You feel it?” She asked curiously

“Yeah I feeeel it!”

“Feel what?” John asked stepping in to the kitchen, not bothering to change down from his monster form anymore as did. Dried monster blood flaked off of his shaggy pelt as he swiped Adams cereal box out of his hands to go clattering across the floor “What have I told you about eating junk?”

“Hey!” Adam protested

Kate shook her head but Adam didn’t heed the warning instead he folded his arms and regarded John with an outraged frown.

“I asked you a question” John barked 

“Speak properly I can’t understand you” Adam said defiantly flinching hard when John stood up again to loom over him. “I said you’re going wrong, you’re weak like Dean and soon your gonna smell like him too, you’re gonna lead the whole pack to ruin! Look you can’t even turn back enough to tell me I’m wrong can you!”

John threw over the table with a roar nearly knocking Adam off his seat as he did

“Stop!” Kate shouted getting between her mate and one of his sons again “His just a little kid he doesn’t know what he’s saying!”

“He understands! And he wants to challenge! Well come on show us what you’ve got pup!” John barked backing both Kate and Adam up to the wall

“No!” Kate pleaded “Not Adam!”

The pack started to gather sensing trouble inside, maybe a threat to their leader’s position. Sam ran in from his car after just getting back and hearing Johns raised voice.  
Everyone, Sam included expected it to be Dean in there standing up to challenge, standing up to put an end to John’s failing efforts to save them. No one expected to see Adam on the receiving end of John’s increasingly notorious temper.

“If he wants a say in how I lead he has to fight for it!” John barked advancing on Kate as she refused to let Adam go.

“Dad don’t!” Sam shouted. 

“Ha!” John barked “Another one who can’t fight wanting to tell me how it’s done! Hell you can’t even stick around long enough to help with the house work anymore! Well come on I’ll take the lot of you!”

“We can’t afford to lose any more! Not a single wolf” Kate argued but her voice was lost to Adams protests from where she had him pinned protectively behind her

“Lemme go!” Adam wailed “I wanna fight him!”

“LET HIM GO!” John commanded her “He needs to learn”

“No!” Sam shouted again drawing John’s attention back to him “It not about strength! Dean was doing just fine single handed! We don’t need to be fighting like this!”

“The threat to our pack has never been greater” John bellowed rounding in on Sam, “Look at you!” he snarled disgusted “You’re weaker than ever, you’ve always needed protecting, always needed to hide behind your brother” John glowered over Sam, close enough to catch wind of a familiar scent on the boy again. “But you could still be of use us”. John said drawing back thoughtfully as a new plan occurred to him  
“That girl you’re seeing, you could turn her, her and her friends! They could join with us and fight! Perhaps one of them could even make an alpha!”

“No!” Sam protested horrified “Never!”

“Then I’ll do it for you! Like I’ve done everything else! You can thank me when I’ve saved your ass yet again, when I’ve saved her, when I’ve saved the whole damn town in fact!” John said changing all the way into his monster form as he realised this plan fully “We’ll turn the whole town!” He announced, “There’s no way these monsters can outnumber us then!”

The pack yammered and howled for the new plan

“You’ll kill us!” Sam shouted above the din “You killed your first family and now you’re going to kill your second one too! Stop fighting! Stop trying to save what you can’t you’ll only bring hunters down on us! Things have changed since you’ve been holed up here, things are changing right now! We need to change with it! Blood thirsty Werewolves rampaging round are a thing of the past we have to lay low to survive this” Sam glanced around encase Dean might show but this was it he couldn’t stick around any longer.  
“If anyone wants to really be saved from this, than come with me! I promise they’ll be no more fighting, we can be free ” He said turning. Turning amid a deafening wave of horrified gasps as the pack ceased its yammering to watch with horror at what he’d become.  
Sam had expected this, knew the price of this new freedom and knew what their close minded reaction would ultimately be, but even so he made his offer knowing full well that not even Dean would consider this a win, he was alone now. This was it his exit from living on the edge from living in the past, he was going back to be a part of society and the modern world again! This was a great moment!  
He stood for a moment growling defiantly as deep as he could at an angry pack of weres standing on the edge of a blood thirsty rage before him. He never felt so alive.

John looked on with horror before roaring his grief.

Sam took that as his cue to run. His wolf was now non-existent, he’d been a ghost masquerading successfully among them all this time. Now his low thin German shepherd form bounded out for the road and for freedom ahead.

John stood horror struck; he didn’t have it in him to give chase. Others in the pack did. They flew past him intent on doing what needed to be done here. Intent on putting the offending thing down.  
John let them, watched them all go with blood on their minds, glad that the decision had been made for him, glad that at least one of his son’s would receive a quick end to his suffering.  
Kate came to stand beside her mate; taking his arm in a gesture of solidarity.

“Call them off!” Adam screeched in disbelief, he rounded in on John pulling his fur in his bid to get his attention “Call them back! You’re the alpha!”  
John stood stock still, cool as stone and as dark and distant to him as a shark might feel inside.  
“You’re sick!” Adam barked in fright “Sick like Dean! This pack is going to fail if you don’t pull it together!”

But John did nothing so Adam turned, his long limbed coltish wolf form racing after the pack hoping to reach them before they got to Sam, before they reached the town, before they could catch the wrong sort of attention and bring hunters down on all of them.  
_

Kate told Dean what had happened, the shame of it evident in her every word  
“He was right here with us, every single day! How could we not have known he was...” Her lip curled at the horror of what he’d become “That he was bad inside?” She said glancing at Dean where he lay, blaming his stink for covering Sam’s tracks for so long as he conspired against the pack, blamed him for John’s failure to keep the monsters at bay, blamed him for too much really. More than you could ever hope pin on one person alone.  
She collapsed into the bedside chair letting her anger at their dire situation go.  
“We need you to lead now” she implored “We need your strength, we need fighters! We really need you to snap out of this thing and help us!”  
She didn’t know if Dean was choosing to ignore her or if he really was too far gone to hear.  
She bowed her head in despair for her pack, her family and began to feel the familiar fingers of despair that came from being round Dean like this creeping over her.  
She was just about to settle into it, let it overcome her completely when the bed creaked.  
Kate looked up; Dean was moving, getting slowly up on muscles that hadn’t been used for too long. She watched in disbelief as he got up and groggily began to grope round the room as if searching for something.

“What is it?” She asked “What are we looking for?” She said opening the cupboard doors in an effort to help. 

Dean spotted it, his old duffel tucked away at the back of his cupboard. In it was everything, every reminder he had of who he was; he reached around Kate and hefted it onto his shoulder.

Kate followed after Dean as he left the room “What are you doing?”

Dean strode purposely out stopping only to look at John as he passed.

John turned slowly from where he still stood watching the path Sam had taken to get away.  
An hour or so now had passed and the pack still hadn’t returned to confirm anything that had happened, if he could mourn yet.

Dean felt John’s grief; saw his hollow vacant eyes. He was horrified, lost and even a little scared. It was a start. Dean left him to it; he had a lot to work through. They all did.

“Wait!” Kate yelped as Dean left the house and kept walking, his intention clear to her now “What about us?”

Dean stood for a moment, shrugged “I’m thinking”


	18. Chapter 18

Things had changed since Dean was last in town.  
It was usually a very quiet place, a pit stop for passing traffic and nothing more, barely on the map even; but today, today it was jam packed. 

Everywhere Dean looked resembled a shanty town after some natural disaster, make shift tents shoehorned into every last bit of available space, cars queuing to squeeze yet more desperate looking people in as if a mile out was just no good, it had to be here. 

Inside the roadhouse things were no different people jostled and crammed ear to ear competing for food, reprieve and hopeful lodgings.  
Dean couldn’t care he went straight to the bar pushing and growling and menacing his way through the sea of strange and sometimes foul smelling bodies to order himself a double whisky.   
Followed swiftly by another.

Ellen looked up, finally recognising a voice outside of staff for the first time today.   
“Been a while Dean” She commented trying to discern how bad his mood was, she never saw him like this, troubled yes, sullen.... sometimes but black cloud grumpy never. That was John’s area of expertise, what few times the man ventured down this way “We were beginning to worry”

Dean huffed a resigned puff of air tilting his glass gesturing for another.

“Like that huh?” Ellen sighed reaching for the good stuff she usually held back for special occasions. “How’s John?” She asked well aware she’d be talking to herself today “He never comes down anymore” She said fussing over a few little things needing tidying “You stink by the way, you should know” 

Dean grunted a curse under his breath, he’d hoped only were’s would pick up on that, he felt or rather knew he should be feeling embarrassed about it out here in public but even that simple self conscious emotion was apparently beyond him right now.  
“Just keep ‘em coming” he growled shamelessly

Ellen frowned, ready to embark on a sagely lecture about answers and empty bottles when one of her new regulars appeared as if on cue.

“Why, don’t mind if I do” The skinny red head chirped making herself comfortable on a stool which just happened to appear vacant next to Dean’s own.

Dean bit his tongue to refrain himself from growling at the intrusion. This new comers chipperness was positively sparkling off her in tsunami size waves making even Ellen smile during the worst rush the Roadhouse had ever seen in Dean’s experience. 

“Sure thing” Ellen grinned pouring one for the newcomer and another for Dean.

But Dean wasn’t staying. He pushed back abruptly about to go find his peace and quiet elsewhere when Ellen caught his arm. 

“Don’t” She said as the atmosphere around them turned chill. 

Dean stopped in his tracks realising that by using her ghost power Ellen was serious, deadly serious in fact.

“You need to stay put for this” Ellen said holding Dean’s arm insistently till he met her gaze “like it or not you’re a part of this town and something’s going down, something big”

“I got enough problems of my own right now” Dean huffed as he dropped obediently back onto his seat.

“We all have” Ellen said letting Dean go “But some things take precedence” She said as the lights dimmed and flickered about them quieting the murmur of conversation in the crowd all around.

The redhead cleared her throat abruptly, rising her eyebrows as she spoke “Sheesh but you make it all sound so serious”

Ellen snorted a laugh “I guess I do” she said shrugging a little of the tightness out of her posture “But Dean’s family are an aloof bunch and it’d break my heart for Dean here to go the same way as the rest of ‘em ” She said accusingly, waiting for Dean to retort.

Dean knew he should be biting, insulting himself and his pack like that deserved some sort of comeback or excuse maybe, but he didn’t care. The pack had always distanced themselves from this small community it was true and he had been neglectful of his friends of late. Sure he’d worried at first when the monsters had first started to show, but he’d never checked in. Even when he’d given up defending everything but his own home he’d left them to it down here, Sam included.   
He wished he could feel bad about that, he wished he could feel something. 

Ellen huffed again, taking Dean’s silence as apology enough for now, he looked like shit, smelt like it too and they needed to move on already; like she’d said ‘some things take precedence’.   
“Like it or not we’ve all come to love you” She said sternly to Dean “And love round here is beginning to mean family in the face of... of....”

Ellen stuttered and despite her being long dead Dean could still get enough of a read on her right now to tell she’d been worried sick at his disappearance.   
He knew the right thing to do here would be to comfort her somehow but he stayed rooted to the spot cool and indifferent to her distress.

“Hey!” The red head interrupted “Let me take it from here”

Ellen calmed instantly, letting the room brighten again and the atmosphere warm   
“Of course! I’ll um, I’ll be getting back to it” She said leaving them the bottle, something Dean knew she never did as she went to help Jo tend to an alarmingly long queue of customers.

 

Despite the crowd pressing in all around it was strangely quiet and rather secluded where Dean sat pointedly ignoring his new companion. Whatever it was she wanted of him he knew he couldn’t help, world war three could be breaking out around them and judging by the exodus of people maybe it was, and he couldn’t care.  
It was like he’d forgotten how, like he’d died inside leaving a shell of himself pretending to human in his place. He kept his head down, eyes on the bar hoping this new comer would catch on to his sullen vibe and just go away.

“So” The red head said eventually after a while where she sniffed and coughed and cleared her throat a bit making it imposable for Dean not to hit her let alone ignore her during their silence “what’re drinking to? Lost love?”

Dean regarded the whisky, then the girl with a deep unforgiving frown, he’d been expecting something else, something important something that would explain Ellen’s over emotional state and the crush of bodies all around them, perhaps even a comment on his b o but this?   
“Why the hell would you say that?”

“Oh nothing” She replied rolling her eyes while absently while nursing her glass, swishing the amber contents from side to side “It’s just you uh, look kind’a upset” she said with a pointed sniff.

Dean turned back to his own drink downing it in one and using the empty glass to drum out an irritating beat. It did nothing to dissuade the girl, she stared back at him, chin perched neatly in hand awaiting his response. 

They stayed that way some time till Dean finally relented  
“Didn’t you have something important to tell me about?”

She made a face “This is important”

“No, it’s not”

“Actually it is, I think this is very important, you see I think you could be just what I need right now”

Dean regarded her again, cute for a nerdy looking hipster but unless she had a slave Leia outfit going on under there, hell, even then he really wasn’t in the mood for anything right now  
“No, I’m not” He said firmly

“But you could be” She said unperturbed looking him up and down critically.   
“There’s a lot of work needed but the potentials defiantly all there. But we’ve really got to get you smiling again. So tell me, what happened?”

Dean glared at her, glared like he might evaporate her right off of the face of the planet if he wanted and growled a low almost unperceivable rumble for her to quit it now. 

She didn’t move, like she had no sense of self preservation, no instinctual fear of danger. She sat completely unperturbed patiently waiting for Dean to indulge her.  
She blinked expectantly.

Dean knew somehow that she wasn’t about to go away ever, so again relented “Look, I’ve just left my entire p, I’ve lost my whole family okay?” he growled turning to hunch over his glass again.

“They’re right where you left them” The girl said brightly. “You’re missing something else, trust me I’m usually right about these things” 

“Not today” Dean growled hunching up some more. 

“Oh?” She said sounding unconvinced “just me then” she said turning theatrically solemn and downing her drink in one just as Dean had. “Blurgh! Ak! Anyway” She grimaced “I lost my best-ist friend ever a few weeks back” She explained taking her next shot directly from the bottle with another cough or two “Just upped and disappeared on me, been on the road looking for her ever since”

“And what if she doesn’t want to be found?” Dean said bluntly 

“Well, then I guess I’ll ask when I find her” The redhead said thoughtfully watching Dean like a hawk now that she knew she had his attention “wouldn’t be much of a friend if I gave up on her without at least trying though would I? I’m Charlie by the way” She said offering Dean a slim hand and a wide smile.

Dean still eyed the bottle held just slightly out of reach with a little resentment; Ellen had left it for this new comer who had accepted it like that was the done thing. He felt more than a little peeved about that, his alpha pride wounded. But if Ellen liked this girl then he should at least give her the benefit of the doubt.  
He sat up a little straighter and took her hand giving it a polite shake.

“Dean” He said drawn to look at the girls face in time to see her eyes lighting up as they connected and as what he could only describe as a shrill sensation went shooting down his arm to resonate deep within his chest. He stilled at the intrusion as it buzzed like popping candy erupting too deep inside of him for a moment, then just as quickly it shifted, resounding back up into his hand making his palm itch as he snatched it back to carefully examine.

“Called it” Charlie said letting him go with a grin.

“What the hell was that?” Dean gasped, shocked at this sudden breach of trust “What did you do?”

“Read you”

“Read me?” Dean said trying to stop an irrational spike of fear induced anger from exploding within him now, he was in a public area he couldn’t, really shouldn’t turn and tear her a new one, but he wanted to, so wanted to right now. This girl was something other and preying on unsuspecting down and outs on his turf.

“Yeah!” Charlie said, her brilliant smile dropping as she studied the emotions flitting across Dean’s face with a pinched brow “Wait! I mean it’s good that you’re emoting again, you alpha werewolves are meant to be all about the emoting but let me explain! I’m a fairy”

“A WHAT?” Dean spluttered losing his grip a little more “A F”

“Shhh!” Charlie hissed leaning in close and covering Dean’s mouth quickly with a deft hand “let’s try and be a little more subtle when we talk about our super secret, secret identities okay?”

“Our what?” Dean asked his words muffled where she held him, and she was holding him, he’d underestimated those skinny arms drastically.

“Our super secret, secret identities!” Charlie repeated slower “I wouldn’t want everyone taking advantage of how very awesome I am and I’m fairly certain you’d scare the pants off of too many of the folks in here. That is till Jo popped your clogs of course, which she totally would, She’s been gunning for your pack a while now” She winced 

Dean stilled, shocked at the revelation. From across the room Jo’s head perked as if her ears were burning, she looked around suspiciously till her eyes landed on Dean and Charlie watching her.   
Charlie removed her hand from Dean’s mouth and gave a little wave, Dean followed suite despite not knowing why and Jo visibly relaxed, going back to her duties while stifling an awkward smile.

“Aw she’s cute” Charlie sighed “And she likes you! Well, liked you. When you started sleeping around with all the bar fly hussies round here, her words, uh thoughts not mine!” Charlie said apologetically “She went off you a bit, as in a lot, but she still likes you. Likes you enough to doubt her own convictions that she was killed by werewolves that night despite seeing them turn right in front of her” Charlie said pausing for some dramatic effect. Dean needed to hear this, to understand the bigger picture if he was ever going to snap out of his funk and get on board with helping to fix whatever it was that was going on.  
“Ellen got the people responsible for Jo’s murder, rather dramatically too I might add, but didn’t believe in the existence of anything else super natural outside of ghosts until now. Jo has always been convinced that there’s still a whole pack of monsters out there, holding out in the hills where you just happen to live weirdly secluded from everyone else in town. Its Jo’s need for total vengeance that keeps her tied here, meeting you has been why she’s never finished that task”

“Wait! What the ever living fuck?” Dean gasped, his instincts yelling at him to protect the pack, to kill everyone who knew about and endangered them but that didn’t just stop at Charlie now, he didn’t know where it stopped and these were his friends...   
“Did, did she tell you this?” he asked keeping his voice especially low now.

“Yeah right!” Charlie laughed “Who the hell spills their deepest darkest everythings to a complete stranger? I read her. I’ve read everyone here, been getting the low down on what’s going on but so far striking out completely” Charlie said watching Dean slump against the bar with a look of defeat.  
She poured them both another generous shot   
“I’m you’re first fairy aren’t I?” She whispered nudging him rudely “But look at the bright side, you’re feeling again!” 

Dean ignored the gesture but she was right, even if it was off and on in erratically wild spurts; he was feeling again something he was wishing for not long ago. That didn’t mean he had to be grateful though “Actually you’re not the first” he said sharply “there was this little naked chick with wings and nipples and shit. Looked exactly how you’d expect a fairy to look, acted like one too” 

Charlie frowned “Oh must have missed that” She said puzzled, juggling mentally through a whole load of bungled hunts from Dean’s youth that she had just obtained, there were so many!! “Was she hot?” She asked hoping for some emotional marker that might make the right incident stand out a little from everything else.

Dean glared at her coldly again as he considered what he had in the trunk of his car to kill fairies with and this time Charlie did flinch, he’d bungled a lot of hunts but shit he’d learnt a little something from every single last one and was actually quite formidable now, especially as he had friends to protect here, a lot of friends.  
“Oh!” Charlie gasped realising she was dealing with someone both smart and alpha demented dangerous “But we’re not all bad! And I’ve had plenty of time to do all sorts, everything in fact and I’ve done nothing ‘cept make friends, you have nothing to fear with me plus believe it or not, you might actually need me later!”

Dean snorted, but she was right she hadn’t harmed anyone, that he knew of, yet, and considering the amount of nasties he knew to be wandering round lately it really was some miracle that everyone here was still standing at all. A miracle that he really couldn’t actually fathom....

Charlie watched him thinking things over till she was sure he was calm again “Bet she beat you senseless with those hot little nipples of hers” 

“I was a kid” Dean shrugged “You do know that if I’d realised what you were sooner you wouldn’t be breathing right now?”

Charlie looked hurt “Don’t be judging this book by its cover” She scolded “But yeah that’s nearer our true form” she said shuffling to sit more comfortably again “if we were in a strip club or something...” She mused quietly as if to herself “But perhaps it’s best we all keep low and wear our disguises for now; at least until we’re all friends. There’s still a lot of prejudice for the supernatural even amongst us supernaturals. We’ve a long way to go before we reach some sort of equality; before we achieve your goal to unite as one joint pack. Love the idea of that by the way, very embracing!”

“I have literally no idea about anything you’re talking about right now” Dean said dismissively.

“That’s because the plan’s still in its infancy, but I’ve glimpsed inside you! I know who you are Dean, what you’re capable of!” Charlie said growing excited, the sparkly confidence returning to her voice and overly animated gestures as she spoke “you’re the guy who can change everything! Literally everything! You’re a natural born leader, an alpha even before you alpha’d”

“NO” Dean hissed feeling the grate of Charlie’s hope rubbing him up the wrong way “I’m, I’m broken” he sighed reluctantly as there was no better way to put it. He was, and now here he was admitting it to an irritating weird little fairy hipster of all things.  
“I’m a...” He glanced round suspiciously but no one was paying them any attention, still “you know, and I’ve walked out on my family, do you even know how wrong that is? It’s unnatural for my kind, unthinkable! I came here to forget myself while the only person I truly care about is possibly dead out there somewhere” He said gesturing out the picture window to the cold dark gloomy hills looming beyond the false security of the town’s perimeters   
“Because I let him go. Why the fuck did I let him go like that?” Dean finished as his distress was just beginning to make itself heard in his tone. He grabbed Charlie’s bottle and poured himself another not caring that it wouldn’t hit him like it would when he was human, hit him like he needed to be hit right now. What mattered was that he was trying, making every effort to lose himself because this... this was someone who he hated being right now, this was broken.

Charlie made a sympathetic face “Your true mates still out there” she said patting him on the shoulder sympathetically.

“What?” Dean said baffled “I’m talking about my brother you stupid, you nerd!”

“Brother! right, hang on!” She said as she pulled a face, thinking real hard “Okay here we go!” Charlie said adopting a very serious tone “Sam made his decision for better or worse. In fact I’d say he’s been making some massive decisions, and you’ve given him the freedom to figure for himself what he wants but at a price, you can’t always be there to back him up now”

Dean looked up “I uh was just upstairs at the time, I could’ve...?”

“You know packs don’t work like that Dean. You can’t support the one without taking charge and leading the many. If you weren’t an alpha it would have been different, you could’ve made a stand and been chased out with him. You could’ve tried to keep in safe for another day, but then what? Sam hasn’t really wanted you around lately has he Dean? Nor you him”

“We’ve been, busy” Dean agreed as they’d both been chasing tail admittedly “and now, now I don’t know what’s going on with him. It’s hard not having him come to me with all his problems anymore. It’s hard knowing his making decisions for himself now, just hard letting him grow up I guess” Dean said glad to get it out there without explaining everything or needing to excuse anything that could have done better along the way. 

Charlie poured them another, clinking her glass against his “To letting go! I hear it’s a bummer!” she said before adding quietly “Especially if you’re the possessive alpha were type”

Dean nodded, that was him on a good day, he just hadn’t had one of those in a while now “He aint getting away” He growled “At least not that easy. He’s still my little brother and I need to know the plan that little bitch isn’t sharing is at least half way decent first” 

“To chasing him down and giving him hell then” Charlie said raising her glass again “I thought you were evolving into something a bit more mature for a minute there, but perhaps not quite yet huh?”

“Not If I can help it!” Dean said joining her in a toast before realising what this meant, he was friends with a fairy now “So you know everything?” he asked awkwardly.

“Watched your whole life like it was a movie on fast forward”

Dean dropped his head against the bar with a thud.

“Don’t worry!” Charlie cooed sympathetically “I can keep a secret and I never judge. But if you do ever go back promise me you’ll grab me those porn mags, those busty babes are totally wasted on you”

“Fuck, you know everything” Dean grumbled “and no not a chance”

“Fine! But seriously, back to our plan, we need to find our friends and figure out why all these monsters are here, more monsters than what’s usual for a creepy little pit stop dive like this anyway”

Dean looked up sharply his alpha nature taking great offence at anything of his being insulted.

“Trust me” Charlie sighed getting bored already with the alpha’s sensitivities “We’re surrounded and I know you know we are too but like always choosing to ignore it. Well the problems too big now! So wake up Dean! We need to get going if we’re going to fix this before it’s too late!”

“Shit” Dean gasped becoming aware to all those little alarm bells that had always sounded deep inside whenever he ventured off of pack territory. Well they were all blaring at him now, loud and clear. This was it, all those monsters he’d let pass, they were all here, pressing in around them.   
The vile odours of death, hunger and lust and decay, mixing together in a pungent heady mix.   
“What’s going on?” Dean said whipping around wildly for which threat to tackle first but seeing nothing in the tight crowd to fight. Nothing but his friends, acting like there wasn’t anything unusual as they went about serving orders or chatting calmly.

“Everyone here’s either dead or a monster, or an undead monster” Charlie explained “Amazing huh? But I’ve read them and it’s true. Look there’s some obvious ones, a couple of zombies talking to the sheriff over there” she said pointing to a darkened booth in the far corner.

Dean looked and sure enough Jody was sitting across from a couple or dirty rotten zombies.   
Dean flew over literally flew over to help. He didn’t have a weapon he realised too late, but he could still hold them off a bit, if they were fighting that was, but they weren’t.   
“Everything okay?” He asked hurriedly.

“Yes” Jody snapped, unhappy at his sudden interruption from out of the blue. 

“Sorry!” Dean said confused because if not the smell then she must have noticed the worms poking out on one of her companions “it’s just you appear to be surrounded, uh, sitting with zombies and I don’t know, in need of help?”

“Damn” Jody cussed “Knew these shadows weren’t near dark enough for this but what with him parading round with his clay giant I thought we looked relatively normal”

Dean looked over to the next booth where Aaron, the reporter was sat with a giant of a man who was covered in so much clay he could be made of the stuff.   
Aaron nodded awkwardly having already clocked Dean, Dean ducked down to hide beside the sheriff in the shadows. Last time he’d spoken to Aaron he’d thought the little shit was a goner, he felt more than a little bad about that.

Jody looked further put out at Dean’s intrusion into her hidey hole, especially as he smelt like he hadn’t washed in maybe months, but maintained her professional calmness “Dean, this is my husband, late husband, Owen and our son Sean”

“Oh” Dean said surprised. “Wow, um, hi there” he said with a small awkward wave

“My niece is a vampire” Jody added conversationally amused by Dean’s efforts to be thoughtful in the face of what she knew to be one of those truly surreal moments she’d been getting so often in her life of late “Might as well get it all out there, welcome to my very alternative family!”

“I’m, really, sorry” Dean said out of habit and unable to stop himself once he’d started “but I’m glad you’re back together now? Uh, just out of interest, why are back together now? I mean looking around the towns never been so popular, any reason do you think?” 

The Zombies didn’t take their dead eyes off of Jody. Owen swayed slightly while Sean tugged at his worms as if they itched.   
Dean watched them, slightly horrified before remembering that that was probably rude so turned back to Jody instead.

Jody cleared her throat a little; she had yet to figure this herself and being the sheriff an’ all, knew she should be going around asking these sorts of questions not Dean. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was human too and she needed family time while she had the chance of it again, not to get back into work mode right this very instant.  
“Well Alex, my niece, came for help when she found out that healer was renting your place, I guess everyone else is the same?” She said looking to her husband hopefully for confirmation. 

“No” Owen said his voice raspy and low as he spoke to Jody as if Dean wasn’t there “We’re not here for healing, this is us now, this is what we are. We’re here because something is calling us”

“Calling you?” Dean asked “Any idea what? Or why?”

Owen looked at Dean then, straight at him like he was becoming greatly annoyed. 

Dean gripped the table, ready to defend the sheriff should this zombie start acting like a zombie.   
But Owen sighed a putrid flavoured breath of air and merely shook his wobbly head rolling his eyes back to the sheriff as if that was all he had to say on the matter.

“Do you mind?” Jody asked a little sadly, her hopes dashed “But we’ve got a lot of catching up to do”

Dean nodded understanding he was in the way and retreated back to his seat where Charlie was waiting for him   
“What’s happening here?” he asked sitting back down to people watch with her.

“Let me sum it up! I’m a fairy, you’re a werewolf, verging on becoming something else, I think” Charlie smiled studying Dean again not so subtly “and we are both here in a bar full of monsters commiserating the recent loss of our close friends which I totally called, even before reading you”

“This is not how I thought today was going to go” Dean sighed, he’d killed so many zombies recently. So many everything! He’d just assumed, followed his instincts but what if they all were like Jody’s family and had just wanted to be back with their loved ones? Damn he felt like shit “just kill me now before it can get any weirder”

A man standing to Dean’s side turned tightly as if to address him suddenly. 

“No no no!” Charlie yelped “He didn’t mean any of that!” she said apologetically jumping up to shoo the guy away “Dean! You really got to watch what you say! There’s reapers in this crowd!”

Dean looked up at the thin man ducking away. “Think I need some more drink”

“Drink doesn’t affect you anymore remember?” Charlie scolded “Dean why did you come here? Here when what you need, when Sam’s out there?” she asked

“I don’t know” Dean muttered feeling the draw of something on him now making him want to stay put now that he was here. It wasn’t the strongest of sensations not when you complied but now that he was questioning it, he could feel it anchoring him. “I just, I just did”

“Me too” Charlie said soberly

“Why are none these monsters acting the way their supposed to?” 

“That would be me” Charlie said holding a loft the bottle of booze “Ellen’s been plying me with offerings to enchant the place. It’s why I’m checking everyone out, looking for clues if they’ve seen my friend and talking them down to a place where they can be human again” She explained. “It’s all still there buried deep in their heads; a few even thanked me” She stopped to take another sip of drink, savouring it now. “Of course it didn’t start that way. I came in here angry too, searching for my friend just like that reaper came looking for souls and that zombie brains but most monsters haven’t been too bad. Beta’s or new, so their memories not too far gone. You’re the first alpha and a distraught one at that. I’m very surprised you’re keeping it together like you are and not going all berserker rage feral right now, very surprised”

“So why help?” Dean asked grateful that she was but growing agitated by the renewed focus on his emotional state.

“There’s something strange at work here” Charlie said her brow knitting tight “and anything this big and troublesome has Gilda’s name written all over it, she has to be here behind this somehow but so far that’s all I’ve got, and despite these offerings I’m getting weaker. I need help, before this goes too far”

Dean looked around again, at what had become his home town and the precariously contained chaos he could now sense in the crowd of monsters around them   
“I can’t waste any more time on my shit” He said firmly, feeling his alpha instincts to protect stirring a little, but that was all, it wasn’t enough to inspire any further action from him.

“Yes we can” Charlie said firmly “I believe your shit is important” 

Dean wasn’t convinced why that should be but was grateful all the same.   
That still left him at a loss as to where to start with dealing with all this. Nor how, in Charlie’s mind at least, they had become a ‘we’ along the way “So why exactly do you need me?” He asked remembering now that she had said he was just what she’d needed like she’d been waiting or something.

“Well firstly I need somewhere to stay, a spell like this would be easy to uphold if I was able to reside here, if I made this my realm... but so far I’ve not met any one resident who I can trust not to take advantage of what I am. That is, till now” She fixed him with a rather serious look “So, can I stay with you?”

“How?” Dean stuttered as he’d only just met the fairy and already in that time considered killing her twice.

“Seriously Dean” Charlie sighed “I’ve read you. I know I’m as safe as safe gets with you”

“Right” Dean said unconvinced that she really had much of a clue now “There’s still that little factor that I’m broken, walked out on my pack, that I’m homeless right now remember?” 

“Nonsense brother” and Benny was of course hovering right by Dean’s shoulder  
Dean didn’t even jump it had been a while but if there was one thing he could count on, it was that Benny was creepy weird and was never going to change. Dean paled however as he realised, he’d been talking so very candidly, something he knew he shouldn’t do. Not here where anyone could hear him, he really didn’t know how much of that Benny had heard.

Benny stepped closer somehow in the already limited space between them, leaning in to pat Dean warmly on the shoulder “Am I not always saying that you can crash at mine? That we’d in fact love to have you?” he asked in a tone bursting with false offence. “It’s been a while Dean”

“Yeah” Dean said gripping his friends arm firmly where it stayed rested on him, looking for some tell tale emotional spike that might mean he’d over heard too much “I’ve um, been busy”

“So I hear” Benny replied slowly, in a tone that suggested that he really had.

“Great!” Charlie said fixing Benny with her widest grin “Glad that’s sorted because man! I’m positively beat! So where were we going now?”

Benny lowered his scared shades, his blue eyes flashing between Dean and who he presumed was Dean’s companion?   
Dean was still with Lisa last time Benny had checked but then any move away from that man eater was a good thing in his books and this new girl was positively full of a sparkly, delightful sort energy anyone who could see it would admire.  
“And your girl’s welcome of course” Benny smiled smooth as silk without missing a beat.

“Excellent!” Charlie beamed all so sweetly 

Benny lent forward dramatically, offering her a hand getting down from her stool, “Of course cher, you only had to ask”

Charlie took his arm slipping down from her stool gracefully.   
Dean wanted suddenly to interrupt, to barge in and push them apart, but wasn’t sure if it was to protect Benny from the fairy or to save Charlie from Benny’s schmooze...   
It was already too late. Benny was already bending Charlie’s hand up to meet his lips in one extra creepy swift movement and Charlie was lapping up the attention and chance to touch.

Charlie’s eyes flashed and suddenly she was backing away hurriedly “Holy moly you’re a vampire!” she gasped watching Benny hard now, scrutinising his proximity to Dean and studying them both now, both together “The archetypal typical best buddy of werewolves, really should have seen that one coming!”

Benny brushed the revelation off as if it were a mild everyday insult “And you?” He said having never taken his eyes off of Charlie, yet was somehow examining her more closely now “I don’t know what you are but you’re certainly special little lady” he smiled waiting now for Dean’s reaction, rather his over reaction to this, a move on a weres mate seldom went smoothly but Dean wasn’t reacting.   
Benny gave Dean his full attention “You knew?” 

“No” Dean said unsurprised somehow “think I’ve just had my fill of weirdness for one day” Perhaps because Benny was already a friend Dean thought absently. Or maybe because he no longer had a territory to defend? Perhaps it had something to do with being in a bar full of monsters that was keeping him utterly cool about this revelation, but whatever it was Dean was glad in a way that here was another friend who didn’t need protecting. A big bad monster in his own right and still the same old Benny at the same time.  
“Suits you actually” Dean chuckled thinking about the huge dark coat, the permanent shades and flat cap Benny always wore even at his own BBQ.

“But you’re an alpha?” Benny said still awaiting some reaction

“I’m broken is what I am” Dean growled unamused now “but how do you know about me?”

“I see a lot of things” Benny said tapping his temple cryptically “That and I’ve lived here donkey’s years, I’ve known about the Milligan pack for generations. Hell, we even shared land before they grew too hot to handle” He chuckled bitterly. “When you came along and everyone started behaving again, I knew you were going to be good, that you were going to be an alpha worth watching”

“Thanks man” Dean said a little unsure of what to make of being watched like that “Our, well Sam and me, our efforts aren’t overly appreciated back there”

“Well, we all sure appreciated it” Benny said lightly “Those wolves were drawing attention”

“We?” Dean muttered “Who else knows?”

“Well” Benny sighed awkwardly “Where do I start? Everyone’s a little off round here; you’d have to be to call a strange little backwater place like this home. Can’t say I’ve ever seen it this popular before though” he said glancing round to emphasise his point “Something’s up, I can feel it”

“Yes” Charlie agreed putting aside her distrust for vampires right now, they had bigger fish to fry “Something big, so could we possibly get out of here now?” she asked impatiently

Benny tore his eyes away from the crowd around them, as fascinating as the play of magic about some of the rarer monsters to him was, he had a lot to do tonight, things he hadn’t been able to do in a long long while “Follow me” He smiled eagerly, leading them out through the crush.

~

 

Benny’s place was a short drive away, a drive Dean was very familiar with; the apartment over Benny’s garage however was not so familiar.   
He hadn’t even noticed the windows in the pitch roof before so wasn’t surprised to see that it was tiny inside.

Charlie marched straight in, glancing round the accommodation quickly before disappearing into the bedroom.

Dean could see everything he needed from the door which was good as Benny was holding him back determinedly.

“Sorry” Benny said quietly his eyes never leaving Charlie as she flittered in and out of view behind the half closed door   
“If it was just you we’d be at the house right now, you do know that don’t you? But you’re girl, well I don’t trust myself round anything that enticing and I’m certainly not trusting Andrea, not yet at least. That kind of power is going to take some getting used to”

Dean looked at the fairy kicking off her trainers to reveal a well worn pair of 80’s care bear character socks “Yeah she certainly takes some getting used to alright” he agreed

Benny tore is eyes away to face Dean “I’m glad you’re here, that you feel you can trust me with this, she’s a good find”

Dean just nodded not wanting to know what Benny was assuming let alone correct him on anything; he was so very sincere and so excited, it seemed unnecessary to risk bursting that bubble right now. Dean had an appreciation now of how fragile these things were.

Benny placed his hand on Dean’s shoulder “You need anything” he said his eyes deadly serious “Anything, you let me know”

Dean nodded again.

“Good” Benny smiled genuinely relieved “Now, I’m going to be out a while, but I want you to know that it’s good having you here Dean, really good. I mean it”

“Okay man” Dean said, hoping Benny might leave now.   
Benny held his shoulder and his gaze a moment longer like he could scarcely believe this, till finally his eagerness to get away got the better of him and he swept out in a hasty exit.

Dean shut the door with relief. He envied Benny a little; he missed feeling like that, excited. But feeling Benny’s enthusiasm well he had made it feel so exhausting.   
Dean eyed the small room; couch, TV, fridge within reach in the limited kitchenette. It was perfect for how he was feeling right now, perfect at least for one.

“He does” Charlie said from the other room where she was rummaging through a bag Dean hadn’t noticed she had “mean it I mean, he really means it” She said shaking her hair out and gathering up more toiletries than a bag that size could realistically hold “He needs a someone to keep guard for the both of them to leave the nest, they haven’t hit the town together for years” She explained wiggling her fingers to remind Dean of her intrusive reading abilities.

“Shit” Dean exclaimed, because if Benny was a vamp then of course Andrea was going to be a vamp and this would be their bloody nest and that would make him “So I’m a guard dog now?”

“It’s exactly what you’d have been doing back home so stop fussing” Charlie scolded “So when were you going to get to it anyway? I need to start setting up my realm in here” she said lining up her toiletries loosely around the couch. 

“What? I got us this pad I’m staying right here” Dean said still standing in the door way watching Charlie’s toiletry arranging suspiciously “Those are bath oils, and that’s nail varnish, you’re not setting up realm your setting up shop”

“Creating a nice peaceful realm is a lot like creating a hot relaxing bath” Charlie said more than a little exasperated “but I can’t do it with you watching so do you mind?”

Dean thought about arguing the unfairness of having to be the one to go a bit further.

“I’m going to be going true form for this” Charlie warned “Hot nipples an all”

“Fine have the stupid apartment” Dean grumbled backing out and retreating back down the stairs to the garage below.   
This was more his kind of thing anyway. He’d spotted all the shelves and dusty tarps on the way in and his fingers had itched then to explore.   
He poured over the rows of neatly placed tools, some familiar others not so much, making his way over to peek under the largest tarp by the double door. Benny drove an antique, even by his own baby’s standards, well kept pick up, whatever he had under here it had to be special.   
Dean pulled back the tarp coughing at the explosion of disturbed dust it created and stared amazed at the boat he’d uncovered. It was old, real old and they were miles from any decent stretch of water, Dean fumbled for a light switch to inspect this further.  
It was old, real old, solid and dark. Wood worn silky smooth over time, smelling sweetly of oil, tar and old salt. It had to be a part of Benny’s past; a past that was possibly going to be infinity long and equally fascinating now Dean knew what his friend was.  
Dean patted the boats smooth side once more and continued on with his investigation.   
Crude maps hand drawn on too brittle paper mapping unfamiliar coastlines with names he’d never heard of, vast star charts depicting the heavens at every time of year and from very hemisphere... Everywhere Dean looked something else caught his attention till he was certain he didn’t know his friend at all. These tools were all well handled, so well handed it was as if the owner had died for them to be sitting under so much dust now. Dean picked up what turned out to be a log book, well worn and over a century old, each page plotted a course of some sort with marginal notes warning of currents or weather systems or maybe even monsters to watch for.   
Dean paused over the heavily underlined word leviathan. It wasn’t marginalised like other notes the word was placed as if it was the destination. Benny had indeed led quite a life; Dean wondered how he’d ended up here?

~

By the early hours the garage was looking like a dedicated workshop again.   
Dean washed his hands for the last time in the large crude sink in the corner and feeling quite satisfied with his efforts for now went back up to see what the fairy had been up to. 

The apartment was empty save for a soft snoring behind the bedroom door so Dean let himself in flopping down across the small couch.   
~

The next time he opened his eyes Charlie was stood over him and his neck ached like a bitch.  
“what the hell” He grumbled, pulling himself to sit up

“Morning!” Charlie smiled “So do you like my fairy realm? I’m calling it Moondor!” She said brightly “Just so you know nothing can touch me now, I’m rooted in firmly, all powerful again! And my spell for keeping the peace on alto drive” She said looking well rested and very pleased with herself. 

Dean stared at her, her long hair was now short and her geeky outfit gone in favour of some’ lord of the rings’ worthy elf armour ensemble, it was quite some change.

“So” she said done with revelling in her own achievements “What’ve you been up to? Find anything important on your patrol last night, some clue as to where we can get started?”

Dean pulled himself up fully “Um, no” he said rubbing the crick out the back of his neck.

“Oh” Charlie said surprised “okay, so shall we make a start on that now then?”

“Uh, no” Dean said seriously not wanting to move right now, the lethargy from before had returned, he could smell it on him full strength again. 

“Dean!” Charlie whined “Look at me!” She said twirling to show off her outfit “I’m like battle ready!! Come on get up! We’ve got so much to do!”

Dean sat there looking slightly anxious, he wanted to, deep down somewhere he did. But that wasn’t enough.

“I’ll tell you what” Charlie said seeing she wasn’t getting anywhere with this “seeing as I’m awesome and you helped me get set up, I’ll grant you one wish. Anything you want, anything that will help fix this” She said gesturing to him on the couch.

Dean ignored the insult “Anything?” he said sceptically 

“Yep, anything. Health, riches, family you’re true love, anything”

“But there’s a catch right?” Dean said reaching for the control and switching the small telly on.

“No catch. I’ll even help you word it right! Promise!”

Dean kicked up his feet and lazily channel surfed, they hadn’t a thing to go on. He tried to concentrate on what, on everything needed to be done but even focusing on the monotony on the TV as it flashed by was proving impossible. His mind was full of half formed questions about leviathans and what Benny had been planning when he set out that day years ago...

Charlie carried on unperturbed “Just think of the one thing you most need to make you well again, think!” She said as Dean seemed determined to ignore her.

But Dean was thinking, monsters and adventures and that Charlie’s wording seemed off. You didn’t refer to a brother as a thing, not really. But okay, just suppose she could call Sam up from where ever to just miraculously materialise here, what if he didn’t want to be here with Dean right now? What if this was his adventure in the making? What about freewill?

“Look, I’m grateful for your help so far” Charlie said growing more impatient “but now I need a fully functioning alpha. One who wants to protect his home and safe guard his friends! Come on we’ve got a lot to do here!” She pleaded.

“Okay fine” Dean agreed reluctantly “I know what I want”

“Yeah? Come on hit me!”

“Something decent to watch” Dean said thoughtfully “Doctor sexy. Just the reruns I’m probably behind I think”

“Just the reruns?” Charlie said flabbergasted “not food nor riches or love, health, family... Dean I don’t think we’ve got time for....”

“I know!” Dean said “but one thing at a time man, relax!” 

“I think I may have made my realm too relaxing already actually”

“There’s too much to do” Dean said regarding her seriously. "And there comes a point where I’ve just got to think maybe everything’s happening for a reason that’s bigger than just what you or I want, maybe we’re missing something” 

“We’re missing our friends! I want to know why Gilda left me Dean, I thought you wanted to find Sam and make things right with him too?”

“I do, I just don’t want to rush in, so let’s just take a moment” Dean said turning back to the TV “I never made it past season three, never seemed to find time after I turned”

“We’re on season eight right now” Charlie said stubbing the toe of her boot into the carpet petulantly “Not that I’d know”

“Just grant me a little down time and I’ll think while I watch, okay?”

“I give you this and you wash” Charlie said sternly “and soon, with tea tree”

“Yeah fine whatever” Dean conceded “after a couple of episodes”

“You’d better” Charlie huffed snatching the remote “Most stupid wish in the history of wishes granted” She said with a flourished wink.


	19. Chapter 19

They were five episodes in and Charlie was done waiting, done pacing, done with Dean’s slow and stubborn funk. Totally utterly done.  
“I have never, in my life, met an alpha so... UN-alpha-ish!” She squawked. 

“What? I washed. I even used all that fairy crap you gave me which, by the way, doesn’t work. I can still smell me”

“I know it didn’t work!” Charlie sighed frustratedly “and it was my most potent energising mix too! Perhaps some of the more aromic herbs neutralised the strength of the active ingredients?” She muttered under her breath rethinking her mix

“Look” Dean sighed getting tired of the fairy pacing back and forth across the TV screen “I got you a pad so you could set up shop, what more do you want?”

“I want you to be getting up and saving your mate or brother.... or pack or, or something!! Whatever it is an alpha should prize beyond all rational reason! That’s what I want you to be doing! Fixing this thing!! Protecting your own with an obsessive unnatural drive!!! Not this!”

“Look” Dean said by way of excusing himself “I’m thinking, okay? Just, bear with me on this”   
but Charlie wasn’t in the mood for waiting. Worse, what she wanted sounded irrational, she needed to take a dose of her own calming bath medicine Dean thought before seeing a plus side to her impatient stamping “Is there anything to eat in that kitchen while you’re there? Beer maybe?”

Charlie took a dramatic inhale “Thinking isn’t going to get things done; thinking is positively beta’ish in fact. What we need here is an alpha!”

“What we need is a plan” Dean said nestling back down as the credits came to an end heralding the start of the next show.

Charlie watched the glazed look of contentment wash over Dean’s features as the title sequence started over, again.  
“Right!” She said unable to wait around any longer “I’m going out”

“To do what?” 

“I don’t know?” Charlie sighed dramatically “Something, anything! Times a’ wastin’. I’ll go back to the roadhouse...” She said pausing mid rant, more than a little suspicious that she was just being drawn unwittingly back there like before “As, as that’s where everyone is so someone there must have answers”

“Okay” Dean said decisively pulling himself to sit up for the first time in hours “That sounds like a plan”

“Huh?” Charlie said suspiciously not quite believing what she was hearing or seeing

“Everyone’s there” Dean said glancing at the time. It was a bit early, but if everyone really was there well, he couldn’t be the only person to be feeling hungry a bit before noon “So Ellen might start serving early”

“You’re moving because you’re hungry?” Charlie said in a tone, Dean noted, that was surprisingly reminiscent of Sam “Just so we’re clear, your alpha instincts on all this, are telling you to eat. Nothing more?”

“Yeah” Dean said getting up and headed for the door “You coming?”

Charlie bit her tongue and hurried after him, it was a start, a step in the right direction! It was something at last!   
She bounded down the steps to the utility separating the landing from the rest of the garage work space, stopping suddenly to marvel at the small and ancient vessel stranded on the concrete floor.  
She hadn’t noticed it on the way in, hadn’t considered where or when the vampire had come from, only that his species type had revolted her now. Seeing this though made her look again at the glimpse of the life she’d previously baulked from.   
Benny was a man from a different era. A time when man as a species was still relatively new, still carving a life amidst untamed world around them. Inventing folk lore’s and traditions, stuff to enable them to coexist with all the older more powerful beings in the world.  
They were a respectful race. A race of dreamers; unperturbed by their many weaknesses, they had heads chockfull full of ideas. It was a time where every impossible possibility became possible.   
A time when even Charlie, the most hard headed quick thinking fairy of them all had been swept along by the larger than life dreams of one such human. Dorothy Baum, the naive strong willed adventurer whose warm heart and mad escapades had shaped Charlie into the fairy she was today.   
Charlie remembered her warmly, it was the first time she’d looked at a different species with love, the first time she, a timeless being, had felt what a wonder it was to be alive. 

 

“Hey!” 

Charlie heard Dean call and hurried out to catch up, only he hadn’t been calling her, he’d been trying to catch the attention of the vampire who was outside mulling around distractedly.

“Hey!” Dean called again, keen to ask catch up with Benny, maybe find out more about his past “Enjoy your time out?” 

“Dean we don’t have time” Charlie hissed, “We’ve got things to do right now, things that can’t wait!” She said keen to find her friend, the loss of Dorothy to old age had seriously affected her even to this day and although Gilda was as timeless as herself she still couldn’t bear the thought of loosing anyone else, ever!

“You kidding?” Dean chuckled “I’ve spent the whole of last night discovering a side to Benny I never knew existed, we got time”

“But you can do this later!” Charlie pleaded, but Dean wasn’t stopping

“Dean” Benny said as he spotted them, his tone a low and troubled.

“You okay?” Dean asked concerned, Benny was never troubled; never.

“Strangest thing” Benny muttered, “we couldn’t leave. All these years awaiting an opportunity to reunite with my maker, and still, I can’t” Benny said staring out into the distance. “I’ve never experienced anything like it, like some sort of dome or invisible barrier stopping us going too far. Trapping us here” 

Dean recognized the look. It was the same look Sam had when he’d been forbidden to go anywhere as a kid, the same look he’d had when he couldn’t get to the library just weeks before.  
“Sam said the same thing” Dean said thinking back.   
They’d been here years now but not stuck necessarily, at least not by some unseen force, they’d just been busy. Busy with the turn from one species to another, busy building themselves together as a pack and busy rebuilding Kate’s home, all that had held them here at first. But then, when they’d needed to venture out further for whatever reason...  
“My dad hadn’t been able to reach the furthest points of our territory either...” 

Yet Dean had been able to run as far as he’d wanted. Far enough to escape everything, his nightmares, his responsibilities... far enough to escape even himself. But he had lost himself in doing so, he was little more than pure wolf by the time he’d passed the last familiar marker in his escape.   
Dean thought a moment while Benny scratched at his rough stubbled chin and Charlie paced determinedly round striking her heels deeper into the gravelled drive with each step; everyone here’s either dead, a monster or an undead monster.   
The wildlife populations hadn’t increased, humans neither.  
When Dean had been fully lost to his wolf nature he’d been free, it was only when the full moon had stirred the monster deep in his blood again to resurface that the pull to return had been on him, otherwise he might still be out there... lost in that state.   
Dean shivered at the thought; he hadn’t died not physically but his mind had ceased to be. Like suffering a drowning to become one with the water.

“It’s to do with our nature” Dean said thoughtfully “Our unnatural powers, It’s what we’ve all got in common that’s what’s holding us here”

“Our own supernatural powers are being used to cage us?” Benny said horrified.

“Used to summon us, I think” Dean said “It feels more like a pull, a need to be here rather than an anchor keeping us in place”

“A council of some kind? Of every supernatural type?” Charlie muttered “In all my years I’ve never heard of such a thing. We have nothing in common other than we’re all considered unnatural in today’s world”

“Survival” Dean said “We’re all historically low in numbers”

“Thanks to each other as much as from anything else” Charlie said accusingly, her eyes finding the vampire still admiring her magical aura and she hadn’t forgotten Dean’s hunter past. “We are not, in any way, kindred spirits”

“Yet here we stand” Dean said pointedly.

“So it would seem” Charlie agreed reluctantly, it hadn’t been so hard to convince all the monsters to live peaceably, indeed some already were; “still this situation is as rare as it is probably delicate, a truce” She said standing taller the sun glinting off of the silverwork on her delicate armour. “We need to fix it soon; there’s a lot of monster types, dangerous monster types I wouldn’t normally trust within a mile of myself” She said looking at Benny “And right now we’re very much surrounded by them. I can’t control all their baser natures forever; I wouldn’t be able to do squat against a raging alpha if one were to ever turn up”

“But” Benny said looking away from the allure of the fairies power with a long practiced restraint “If hunters have found a way to eliminate all of us, in one hit; then we may need each other, base raging natures an’ all”

They stood silently at that.

“I’ve got to find Gilda” Charlie said, her voice holding a troubled edge to it now, “Dean will you help me?” 

“Yeah I’m coming” Dean said looking to Benny “You in?”

“Hell I can’t be the only sane one here” Benny grumbled “I’ll tag along, if something’s going to happen may as well be in the epicentre when it does”

~

 

“We’ve left it too long” Charlie sighed looking anxiously at the crowds when they pulled up into Ellen’s.   
There were more people here, way more than before she was sure.  
She followed Dean to the bar where he was content to wait to order something to eat. She counted under her breath hopping from toe to toe willing the time away or the queue to the bar to at least move. “I’m gonna go make a start” she said impatiently.

“What where?” Dean asked

“Anywhere! There’s a lot of new faces, so I’ll check them out first I guess”

“Okay fine” Dean grumbled “shall I get you anything?”

Charlie hesitated, glancing at the back of a folded menu Dean had acquired, at the most calorific thing she could find there “Hmm, a shake would help”

“What flavour?” Dean asked to the empty space beside him. He wasn’t really surprised “Did you want anything?” He asked Benny still faithfully hovering by his side.

“Man” Benny chuckled “Have you ever seen me eating anything here?”

Dean hadn’t, Benny was always moving, always flitting around leaving his stuff unattended. It had annoyed Dean no end over the years, Dean who never ever wasted anything containing calories.  
“Oh” Dean said, and the realisation of this was vaster than the whole vampire thing, all this time he could have been eating and drinking for two rather than grumbling at Benny’s neglectful habits, all this friggin time!  
“Guess I’ve a lot to learn”

“Eh” Benny shrugged amused “I’ve had several life times to learn to be subtle about it” he chuckled knowing that he’d creatively wound Dean up more than a few times.

Dean frowned, it was true he hadn’t really noticed enough of Benny’s habits but Benny had already known about him, about his pack “Are you’re saying I’m not?” he asked

Benny smiled wider, there was the whole ‘never talk family’ and the ‘weirdly hushed whispers’ with Sam thing that had turned many a bar fly’s head in the past... But he decided to stick with the most prevalent clue to Dean’s true nature “You smell like a very very wet dog” Benny said unsympathetically “A wet dog that’s been swimming in a pool of despair before becoming entangled in some sort of tea tree hedge. No one here ever sees or hears about you keeping any animals ere go, there’s something else going down”

“Sorry” Dean muttered, “This whole ‘being broken’ thing comes complete with its own stink”

“I don’t mind wet dog” Benny laughed “Absolutely hate tea tree though, I’m guessin’ that’s the fairy’s influence?”

“Uh...” Dean muttered because if he smelt that in any of Sam’s products he wouldn’t hesitate dousing himself in it again “yeah, she totally made me do it”

“Choose a different flavour; I’ve known dead fish to smell better”

“How about a leviathan?” Dean asked congratulating himself for working it in there finally, only to see his words sink like a stone weight. Benny looked pissed.

“You’ve been snooping” Benny said, soft and low like he could be shouting if there wasn’t a calming spell over this newly formed realm right now. He took a breath.

“Sorry” Dean said “Didn’t realise it was personal or nothing”

“Guess I did put you up in the workshop” Benny sighed. “That was a different life, in a different world.... I died”

Dean waited patiently for Benny to say more, but Benny it seemed was done talking.

“You ever regret anything?” Dean asked after a minute of awkwardness.

“At times” Benny said sadly “It’s been a long existence”

Dean glanced round to make sure they weren’t drawing attention, his eye catching on Sheriff Mill’s and the Emo girl partially hidden behind a phone sat beside her. “You know Jody’s niece is a vampire” He commented remembering the odd fact. It seemed odd to mention it what with everyone here being a monster of some sort or another so yeah nothing new really, but the ever present child in Dean’s head felt some sort of weird satisfaction in the ‘snap’ game it had suddenly found a midst all the weirdness to play.

“I did not know that” Benny said suddenly interested. 

“So you can’t just sense your own kind then?” Dean mused “So what if you went out looking for, I don’t know, a bite and ended up chowing down on another vamp? Then what? Would you get double the powers? Or would the reverse happen?”  
Dean could feel the ‘doneness’ suddenly rolling off of Benny.

“Save me a seat” Benny mumbled politely leaving Dean alone in line.

“And what can I be getting you this fine and crowded day?” Ash asked brightly as he finally reached Dean.

“Well screw the lot of ‘em” Dean mumbled ordering food for three despite being completely alone for this.  
~

 

He was glad he did when Charlie eventually returned to graze off his plate.

“Find anything?” He asked as she cleared her way through a mess of fries.

She looked irritable chewing on his food like it was a new form of stress management   
“Only that there are more monster types here than I ever would have thought possible in one place” She sighed tiredly.

“Yeah?” Dean asked curious because surely she’d been around and seen a few things by now, things weirder than a bar full of weirdo’s anyway “Like what?”

Charlie just looked at him, torn horribly between frustration and despair with the whole situation.

“Or” Dean smirked “I could use my old hunter skills of deduction and try guessing ‘em! Come on it’ll help past the time. Just point someone out, anyone!”

“Fine” Charlie sighed “That white girl dripping in the corner what do you think she is?”

“Uh, pretty, pale, wet. Mermaid?”

Charlie rolled her eyes

“Octomaid lady? Kelpie?”

“Close, selkie” Charlie said warming to the distraction “Okay what about him over there with the sandals”

Dean searched the crowd “Dodgy skin condition?”

“That’s the one”

“Either an extra for X-men or maybe a human snake about to shed, what do you call ‘em...a, uh”

“Naga, wow, beginning to see why John left you behind so much”

“John who failed on his first werewolf hunt”

“So did you remember?”

“Eh, Son of a bitch caught me off guard, no one expects that sort of thing to happen, not in real life”

“True” Charlie agreed “And he’s an arachne from Greece, how about those boys beside him?”

“With the worse skin condition? Was Kruger based on something supernatural?” Dean asked pulling a face “If he was than that”

“Changelings, torn between who’s kids to resemble, funny huh? Bet they’ve never had to impersonate monster kids before”

Dean looked away from them drifting from one true type monster to the next “What’s that creepy looking leery douche behind them?” he asked concerned because kids were kids, and even monster kids in the middle of impersonating arachne kids crossed with zombies, didn’t deserve to be leered over like that.

“Creepy looking leery douche who’s about to be in for a nasty surprise when he picks on those particular kids is a Nachzeh straight from Germany” Charlie said triumphantly but saw Dean wasn’t following “Type of vampire really, really old type of vampire. He doesn’t stand a chance against those little monsters don’t sweat it Dean”

“This is turning out to be quite some party” Dean commented, “Did you find any word on your friend yet?”

Charlie huffed a heavy sigh and stuffed the rest of Dean’s fries in “nu-ting” She said letting the cheer of the game drain out of her.

“It’ll come together”

“How can you know that?” Charlie huffed “How can you be so.. so ...” She stopped herself from continuing knowing Dean was just letting her blow steam by sitting back passively as he was, it was degrading to a person her age.

“It’s all on my to do list” Dean said, glad Charlie was done ranting and thinking maybe he could start making a to do list “trust me” He said sucking grease off his fingers before pushing a strawberry shake toward Charlie like it might make it all better.

“Thanks” Charlie muttered bitterly as she tried to withstand the urge to lay into the alpha some more. She slurped heavily on the straw while she calculated new and different ways to try and get a raise out of him but nothing came to mind. It was probably a bad idea anyway, she needed all the help she could get right now.   
“Okay how about him?” She said spotting someone she hadn’t actually had the chance to read yet, thinking that this would put a new interesting twist on the game “What do you think he is?”

The stranger noticed her staring and eyed her back critically.

“Oh sugar” Charlie gasped mortified at herself “Abandon game! He’s headed this way”

“Dean?” 

Dean looked up, the sound of his brothers voice unmistakable.   
Sam looked startled, then happy to see his brother “What, what’re you doing here?”

“Sammy” Dean said pleased to see Sam safe and sound without a single scratch on him, he slipped a smug glance at Charlie who’s face had dropped in reply.   
“So sit down!” Dean said making room beside him “you need food or beer or anything?”

“Uh yeah” Sam replied slowly still getting to grips with Dean actually being here “I was about to order a salad actually”

“Salad!” Dean barked “Okay fine! We may have left it too late” He muttered under his breath making Charlie snort.

Sam sat tentatively on the edge of the booth bench waiting for Dean to give him what for for leaving like he did, when he absently noticed something new and different about his brother.   
“You smell better” Sam said looking hopeful “Are you better?” 

“No, not yet” Dean huffed “But hey! I’m up and I’m out now, that’s got to be good hasn’t it?”

Sam knew this was significant, but needed to know what it all actually meant.   
He glanced at Dean’s companion unsure how guarded he needed to be around her. She seemed very familiar sharing food and closeted space with his brother already. Dean didn’t share food or space willingly; Sam cleared his throat expectantly.

“Oh” Dean said slightly embarrassed “Sam Charlie, Charlie Sam we shared soap, that’s all” Dean explained seeing all the unspoken questions forming in his brothers head “and only because she insisted” 

“You did stink” Charlie muttered wiping her fingers across a napkin before thrusting her hand in Sam’s direction “Hi! Pleased to meet you”

Sam stared suspiciously at the hand, who did that anymore? The only person he could think of was... Sam felt a cold sudden fear snap over him, surely she wasn’t? She couldn’t be...  
Time seemed to slow as he heard Dean rolling off some stupid retort and unwittingly confirm his worst fear.

“Hah! and now I perspire like this green bean flavoured flower fairy here”

Charlie cringed back in mock appal “Smelling like a fairies flower is a vast, vast improvement for you, believe me! vast!”

“You, well” Dean stuttered caught between forming an appropriate comeback and the overwhelming unexplainable fear now rolling off of his brother “your face smells, looks like a fairies flower... Sam?”

“Holy shit Dean” Sam gasped unable to believe how flippant his brother was being with such a malevolent creature. He gathered his wits as best he could, scrambling to think of a way to get them both out of this “What have you told her?”

“That she didn’t need half so many toiletries” Dean said trying harder with his alpha thing to understand his brothers fear, Sam had never been up against a fairy and Dean had never confessed to being beaten by that hot little naked chick that time, or to jerking off over the incident for weeks after; Sam shouldn’t have a clue about these things... but somehow he did.  
“Sam she’s okay, she’s on our side!”

“Dean, shut up” Sam said sternly “What have you told her?”

“Nothing. Much” Dean said but then remembered the reading thing “Well everything unintentionally, but relax!” He said as Sam’s fear sky rocketed higher with his every word “you see everyone here’s a monster or something, everyone! And everyone’s getting along just fine thanks to Charlie’s magic. We’re all fine!!” 

“You’ve already set up a territory?” Sam gasped in horror.

Charlie sat back folding her arms dramatically like a bond villain might “You seem to know a lot about my kind” She said watching Sam with much amusement “enough to know to really fear us. How is that?”

Sam hesitated, lips twisting round several words before deciding on his answer   
“I’ve read stuff” Sam said noting the tall shake glass beside Charlie, his detective mind running a mile a minute to deduce that Ellen used half fat milk rather than cream in those things plus chemical flavoured syrup rather than sugar. That beverage would never be enough to super charge a fairy to full strength...  
But then...

Ash swung by the table “pie’s s’up” He said sliding a plate down from the stack of orders he held balanced haphazardly across his arms.

All eyes fell on the pie as it slid to a stop between them, apple with generous dollop of ice cream on the side.

Charlie whipped a finger through the semi frozen cream based side, popping it into her mouth in one fell swoop.

Sam swallowed hard 

Dean looked pissed that his side had been defiled, fries were one thing but desert was sacred.

Charlie squinted her eyes dangerously feeling herself growing ever more powerful “Tell me what you know Sam” She said in a voice pretty close to a pissed Galadriel “I think you’re key to me understanding what’s really happening here” 

Sam looked like he wanted to run, but he hadn’t planned his exit this time, couldn’t leave Dean this time, he slumped back in defeat “Only if you promise not to curse anyone or go nuclear on this place”.

“Nuclear?” Dean laughed at the absurdity “She’s a fairy not a time bomb! She just gets on your nerves and nags a lot” he said not understanding the standoff that had developed between them.   
Charlie fixed Dean with her squinty look and Dean felt like a little boy having his worst dirty fantasies examined   
“when they’re not being awesome and solving mysteries that is” he added apologetically suddenly understanding why Sam had felt so squirmy, she squinted hard.

“You know nothing” She said to Dean “But you do” She said turning back to Sam.  
“Tell me everything and I’ll try to be lenient, I’ll really try. But it’s not like you’ve got a choice” She said reaching out her hand again for him to take.

Sam stalled, he couldn’t get out of this, not without some damn powerful magic hiding him for all eternity and not without leaving Dean, who was happily oblivious to the stupidly powerful magical creature sitting across from him.  
“Um okay” Sam said not liking this one bit. He took her proffered hand for as long as he could hold it which wasn’t all that long.

 

Charlie was quiet while she assessed this new knowledge   
“You’re playing a very dangerous game” she said finally.

“It started so simple” Sam said feeling a huge weight dissipate at having shared his secret.  
Charlie clearly wasn’t mad, wasn’t judging him, he felt like he could love her as a friend for ever for that lack of explosive reaction alone.  
“If it helps, I’m sorry” He said looking at Charlie and then to Dean for whom there was no words to describe what he had tried, was still trying to do.

Dean’s jaw worked as he searched for the right questions to fathom what happening, he was already upset, broken inside; he wasn’t sure if he was ready for anything more if anything had Sam already in knots like this.

“You’ve done nothing wrong” Charlie said sympathetically, her mind made up on what she needed to do next “it takes a lot more power than an a few amateur witches to control a fairy. Gilda is doing this of her own free will”

Dean looked from Sam to Charlie and back again deeply confused, ready or not, he had to face this “Okay, what’s going on?” 

Charlie looked at Sam but already knew he couldn’t say what needed to be said, not to Dean. She’d read his emotions as easily as she’d seen his actions through the link and could see the oncoming disaster about to hit this already hard hit family   
“Ruby’s a witch” She said decisively, getting the ball rolling “but not a very good one”

“Yet!” Sam said jumping out of his state of shock that all his secrets were about to be laid bare so crudely “But she could be!”

Dean baulked literally baulked.  
John had hunted witches. Had told them time and time again how they were the most evil sons of bitches there was because unlike any other kind of monster they chose to be how they were and chose with each and every spell they cast to be a bigger sons of bitches than they already were   
“Sam! Why?”

Sam was wide eyed and clearly pained when he looked at Dean next   
“To to get back to the real world! To have a career, a real life. We have this, this thing under control” he gestured to himself and Dean understood he meant the monster “thanks to her magic! I don’t want to be a monster Dean! I’ve never wanted that!” 

“So you’re a dog” Dean said flatly

“A familiar” Charlie corrected

“Actually, I prefer the term shifter” Sam muttered quietly.

“Her bitch” Dean growled contemplating ways of how he was going to rip the (other) bitch apart for this.

“It doesn’t matter! It works!” Sam said defiant “I don’t need to kill or hunt or rage anymore! Just running free every full moon is all it takes to keep this inner beast at bay! I’m not going to be dads little soldier till the end of all time anymore I can go anywhere, be anything like this! I’m can finally make my own choices and we can get you or anyone else out too Dean!”

“So long as she agrees to go along with it” Dean snarled “A familiar is not free”

“It’s not perfect but we’re in love! And she wants more too so...”

Charlie cleared her throat dramatically “Remembering that we’re all stuck here with this spell over our heads I don’t think that it is a valid time to argue over all the ‘possibilities’ right now. So how about we just sum this up quick?  
Sam wants more, doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you or family anymore Dean, it’s just that he’s feeling extremely, actually desperately would be a better word, constricted right now.   
Now don’t say a thing !” She said shushing Dean before he could start “Not when you’re longing for something more too but haven’t put your finger on just what it is you want yet! Everyone changes for someone they love, everyone that’s how you know its love. This isn’t perfect but it’s true”

Silence fell over them with Sam looking needily for Dean’s approval and Dean feeling hurt and rejected despite himself.

“Fine” Dean sighed wishing Sam had still come to him first, but knowing Charlie was right this was Sam’s choice... plus Dean could feel the shift in his own blood, a want for something else, something of his own “I’m not arguing. You know we’ll always have you back” He said to Sam

“You’ll always have me back” Sam said corrected “And I know, but you’re kind of homeless too right now”

They both stared at each other. The distance between them never having felt so great.

“Okay so with all that out the way!” Charlie said grabbing everyone’s attention again, boy but these two boy’s were grim “as cute as this is we still have a situation here! Sam if you could introduce me to your witches I would very much like to resolve this and soon”

“They won’t be happy” Sam sighed “but yeah I know”

“What about me?” Dean asked feeling useless

“Maybe you could work on ticking a few more things off of that to do list of yours” Charlie smiled sympathetically “finding your brother’s one thing but you still stink”

Dean nodded, he needed time to process and shouting off at witches wasn’t going to make things any better for him “Sure, call if you need me” he said letting them go.

~

Dean drank till Ellen started giving him her best stink eye. And she was right, it was still early afternoon and here he was surrounded by empties.

“You’re a were?” A skinny lad who had wandered up beside him asked. 

Dean looked round, the kid was breathing in deep scenting him.

He stopped, embarrassed when he saw Dean noticing   
“Hi! Sorry! I’m Garth!” He said nervously “I’m actually new to this area, just swung by for some reason and now I can’t seem to leave. I noticed you, you’re an alpha aren’t you? A real alpha?”

“Maybe on a good day” Dean mumbled.

“Well” Garth said disregarding the cold shoulder Dean was throwing him and taking a seat excitedly “me and my group” Garth glanced to some sweater wearing timid looking folks standing discretely out of the way of everyone and everything “We’re werewolves too, and we’re in need of an alpha!”

Dean looked again; they were the most inconspicuous group of anything he’d ever seen. Dean shook his head “Sorry, not interested”

“But you’re an alpha it’s in your blood to lead!” Garth said before his face shifted to something more disgruntled “You think we’re too weak, you think we’re not worthy” He said angrily “Well I’ll have you know we’ve fought through no end of things to get here, including a tooth fairy!”

“Look I’m sorry!” Dean said sorry to have offended the little, the guy “I’m sure you’re fine! You must be to have avoided hunters this long and that’s admirable! Our kind needs smart disciplined survivors like you. It’s not that, it’s just I don’t lead, it’s not my thing”

Garth looked at him harder, more thoughtfully, sniffing again “are you going feral?” he asked sympathetically like Dean had already died.

“No!” Dean growled “I’m, I’m just, in between decisions right now”

The sympathy remained in Garth’s eyes, Garths big deep sympathetic eyes “I know someone who might be able to help you with that” He said reaching into his pocket and shuffling about down there a minute or two too long   
“Meet Mr Fizzles!”

Dean looked in horror at the sock covering Garth’s hand “Are you serious?”

“Helll...” Garth began in a squeaky voice animating the sock puppet before Dean lunged at him “What?”

“No!” Dean said grabbing the sock and pushing it back under the table out of sight “Just no!”

“He helps with trauma” Garth mumbled dejectedly “He works too!”

Dean sat back, Garth believed what he was saying, believed in Mr Fizzles, “Maybe with kids” Dean said getting an idea “How about I introduce you to my old pack? They’ve got an alpha and a kid who’ll appreciate what you’ve got to offer” 

“That would be nice” Garth agreed lighting up. 

 

So Dean called Kate and after describing the situation handed the phone to Garth to introduce himself to her.  
He listened for a minute to make sure things were going well before zoning out to wonder why he just couldn’t muster any interest in pack and territory or anything anymore.   
Beside him Garth’s voice became ever more enthusiastic especially when Adam was mentioned, a pup, an actual pure bred pup, still young and clever as hell. The conversation turned ever more positive and gushy after that and Kate gave directions for Garth and his pack to come visit.   
Garth finished saying that he’d like that handed the cell phone back to Dean to go talk to his friends.   
Dean guessed that that was going to be the end of it when a hand tapped him on the shoulder.

“Dean” Garth said “We have decided that we want to go see you’re old pack but we’re nervous of encroaching on an alpha’s territory uninvited. Will you come?”

“Kate said you were welcome plus you out number them two to one”

“We lack brawn” Garth confessed “And I’m suspicions of an alpha refusing to even come to the phone”

“That’s alphas all over, stubborn bastards to the core” Dean said as he looked for Ellen who wasn’t anywhere near serving him again, maybe ever “You act like you’ve not met one before”

“We haven’t, not once between here and Wisconsin. But heck you must be like buses because now two’ve come along!!” He sniggered

“I’ll tell you what how about I take you up there right now” Dean growled adding under his breath “Anything to lose you quicker”

“Thanks” Garth beamed.

~

 

Dean was as good as his word leading them all the way to the front porch where Kate stood ready to meet them.  
It seemed like years had passed since he’d had last stood here guarding what had felt like his.  
He listened absently while Kate introduced herself, welcoming everyone one in. Taking control.

Dean noticed John standing off in the shadows, Adam at his heel his mirror image.   
Dean remembered a time when that would have been him, loyal to a fault.   
He hoped Adam might prove stronger than he’d ever been, maybe with Mr fizzles help he would.

“So your pack is led by a beta?” Garth asked Dean when Kate was talking to some of the others in his group.

“Well it is her house, her ancestral land” Dean said still wondering himself why John wasn’t taking any interest with proceedings. But then it dawned on him, John was keeping a distance, staying downwind because he was broken too. He was just for show now and damn lucky to be a true mate to a hard thinking beta who could keep him.

As the new group tried to approach the alpha in the shadows Adam growled at them to stay back defending his father fiercely.

John had become what he had always feared, weak.  
John looked over to Dean meeting his eyes, a fierce longing there for his eldest, strongest son to return to him to save his family.

Dean wanted to shake the man awake, but what was the use? If he couldn’t see what he had, only what he lost...

Adam growled harder, frustration breaking through into his voice, he felt too small and there were so many new faces, he hadn’t met anyone other than monsters outside of pack for years and this was over whelming.

Dean knew the feeling and was never more thankful to be out.   
True he didn’t know what he was doing, didn’t know what it was his blood seemed to be telling him he needed but he knew for sure, it wasn’t this.

He left them too it, headed back to Benny’s apartment to watch TV and forget himself again.   
A luxury that just couldn’t last.  
Charlie and friend showed up when he was half way through episode six of season five 

“So!” Charlie announced her voice high and triumphant “I got my girl back!”

“The one you were looking for” Dean asked as the two fairies crowded in to stand in the only available space in their cramped quarters, AKA right in front of the screen.

“Yep the one and only” Charlie chimed throwing an arm around her quiet companion and pulling her in closer “This is Gilda, Gilda this is Dean, the broke werewolf I was telling you about”  
Gilda cringed as the smell hit her and then quickly covered with a false smile and little wave.  
Charlie smiled harder.

Dean diplomatically pretended not to notice “So is everything fixed?” 

“No” Charlie sais sill beaming triumphantly “It’s worse than we could ever have imagined, tell him Gil’”

Gilda huffed like she hated when Charlie did that thing where she made her acknowledge species that were below them...   
“Well, the witches were working some stupid spell and shit”

“Spell for what?” Dean asked enjoying the fact that Gilda hated this, hated him.

Gilda huffed again “A spell to bring about a new world order with them at the top, what else?”

“Um, okay” Dean said gesturing for her to continue 

“But, like all humans they weren’t being nearly creative enough. I mean how could they be? As a species you’ve only been on this planet like five seconds, what could you possibly know about real power? So anyway that’s when I stepped in” Gilda said pausing to grin at the brilliance of herself.   
“I reworked their spell, so rather than call one magical being whose power they could tap, we called everything! Anything and everything that’s linked into the magical realm through its supernatural abilities, we brought them all here and trapped them. We’ve created the greatest concentration of power this world has left to offer, enough to lift those witches to demi god status, way beyond their simple little dreams”

“But?” Dean asked because there was always a but  
Gilda smiled happy Dean wasn’t too stupid to follow “But it was so easy, they were so easy! Just a mere suggestion of ‘why stop there’ and they were falling over themselves for more. I told them to redirect their spell to go beyond this world and into the magical realm itself, pulling power directly from the source, and the silly things did! Once I gave them the words they creating a beacon broad enough to summon the mother of all supernatural beings back into our world”

“Wait” Dean interrupted “wouldn’t that make her the mother of all monsters?”

“Well done!” Gilda smiled “They weren’t nearly so quick, but yes Eve, whose name is forgotten here now. The mother of us all, the mother of chaos! She gets here tomorrow round three”

“Holy shit how do we stop this?” Dean said sitting up now “The monsters we’ve got are bad enough”

“You can’t” Gilda shrugged “not now the spells in place, she’s already in transit”

“So what happens when she gets here” Dean asked “do they trap her? Drain her power become something bigger than the massive shits they already are? What about everyone else?”

“HA!” Gilda laughed “Trap Eve! They wished for a new world order and I’m giving it to them, only Eve’s going to be way pissed but you know what ever, once she’s here she’ll reassume her rightful place as the supreme power she was meant to be, before she got banished and shit”

“And this doesn’t bother you?” Dean asked 

“I’m certain she’ll want to keep the more worthy of her creations, it’s just too bad for the rest of you” Gilda said unsympathetically “But come on a broken were? What use are you to anyone? You had to see something like this coming right? You know if not Eve than some hunter or what not, you’re all doomed to die all you silly little human hybrids”

Dean looked at Charlie “Is there anything we can do to stop this?”

“Not really” Charlie said sadly “You know, a wish would have been good right about here”

“What about Sam does he not get one?”

“It’s one fairy spell per person and he really should have worded his better” Gilda smirked

“Ok fine” Dean huffed not wanting to know more, stupid dork probably asked for a library or something just as predictably useless “I’ll just, figure something else out I guess” He huffed.

“Of course you will” Charlie smiled “You’re an alpha and this is your turf, but you’re not figuring it out here”

“Huh?” Dean said, taken aback

“Well” Charlie grinned failing to look at all sheepish “Possible end of the world as we know it, just got my girl back after like weeks apart... this rooms going to be rocking a while before the mother of all monsters comes a knockin’ so, um, bye!”

“Son of a bitch” Dean muttered catching on then checking the hot fairies out one last time before grabbing his boots   
“Nice meeting you Gilda” he said politely “Even if you fairies are all douches” He pointed an accuserie finger at Charlie “And what was the point of wishing for my own channel if you’re not going let me watch it?”  
Charlie shrugged “There’s always a catch in the wording Dean, always”  
_

So Dean went for a walk, not a patrol or anything work related just a gentle stroll round the old house and neglected gardens.  
Benny wasn’t much for general maintenance beyond the buildings so soon the grounds became lost to thicket and briar. It wasn’t nearly as scenic as his old territory; it was downright creepy in fact when you stood here all alone.

He called Sam for something to do. Sam who was sweating it out with the witches researching everything they could in that limited little space of time they had left. Looking for information on original monsters, possible ways to banish things back to other plains of existence... Anything. 

“Maybe you could join us?” Sam asked “We’ve literally got boat loads of books of related information to get through, another pair of eyes would really help”

But Dean knew somewhere deep inside that they were wasting their time, that they were all too small to deal with this higher magic shit. Knew also that that wasn’t what Sam needed to be hearing, and that if this was really it, the end of things as they knew it then Sam was doing what he most loved, spending his time buried deep in his research, trying to help people...

“Sorry Sam, I’m too broken”

~

Dean looked around for something else to occupy himself with.   
Everything seemed futile; there was nothing to fight no decent distance he could drive to.   
He ended up following an animal trail through the undergrowth into some fields beyond the gardens instead, going wherever his feet took him. He’d read somewhere that writers found inspiration doing stuff like this, so far he was just discovering a different sort of boredom.  
For a last day it was pleasant at least, the birds singing, wildlife scattering as he came to close. He was fast approaching the boundaries of his old territory, not that he’d meant to, he had no intention of calling in to see how things were going back there or anything but still, he felt right to be headed this way.   
He continued a little further telling himself if he couldn’t turn off soon than he’d turn back before he chanced upon meeting anyone.  
It was nicer here, not as over grown as it was at Benny’s which made walking easier. The sun was warm, soothing against his back.   
Too warm maybe, Dean saw some shade up ahead under a copse of trees and headed for it to take a break. He had wandered back onto his old turf now but the dread of meeting somebody had left him, instead he felt good to be here, that he’d found his way home.  
It was an odd sensation to behaving as he crawled under some particularly low boughs, swiping the bracken to one side to get further into the cool shade. He was still following a trail of sorts, but this one was irregular and old, the scent of what made it long faded. Dean reached a place where he could stand again just behind the greedy braches grabbing at every last ray of sun behind him.  
He took a moment to let his eyes adjust and there curled in the dark dry leaves saw a creature, humanoid in shape and dark, black almost.  
He knew instinctively that it was Cas.   
The hemp shirt, the faded sweats, all old and familiar, it even smelt like Cas. But as he stepped closer the less like Cas it became. Under the clothes the creature looked dog like and small, its bare feet the only part not tucked in tight against its body were distorted and thin and so, so black.  
Dean didn’t look too much harder. The creature looked pained curled up as it was, like it was in great discomfort; it’s blackened state reminded him all too much of a burnt corpse. 

Dean didn’t know what to do, the easy embrace Cas would’ve given him as Jerk wasn’t here, nor was the uneasy tolerance they shared as humans.   
He remembered the fear and horror Cas had felt as he’d turned to fight that last time they were together, when Cas had somehow disobeyed his order and left him.  
Cas wasn’t accepting like Charlie and Benny had been and Dean knew he had no right to expect him to be, but still, he wanted it all the same.   
Wanted to demand it in fact, wanted to shake this crippled thing awake and shout ‘Why? Why the hell not?’ but he knew that was selfish, that he had no right. 

Still he lay down stubbornly beside the hunched up figure, his arm grazing against the back of his hemp shirt. He couldn’t get a read on any emotions, couldn’t even tell if the figure beside him was really asleep even. So he just lay there, letting his alphas ravings calm, watching the patches of sky pass them by through the leafy canopy until he felt himself at peace again. Back in that wonderfully blank state being broken afforded him.

 

“You’re a highly volatile dangerous kind of monster” Cas accused suddenly out of the blue. 

Dean unintentionally glanced over, catching his too blue eye stark against the blackness of the face as he peeked at him from over his shoulder. Dean looked back to up the sky, Cas looked like charcoal.  
“And you use people’s worst fears against them” Dean countered unsure where something like that would leave them.


	20. Chapter 20

“That stopped working once you knew what I was doing” Cas countered.

“It worked just fine that last time” Dean grumbled bitterly.

Cas shifted a little, it had, and he’d hit Dean the hardest he’d ever hit anyone with his magic.   
“So what happened?” He asked curiously “What do you see? I mean, what the hell even scares a werewolf?”

“You don’t know?”

“No” Cas replied quickly, he’d never been on the receiving end or even had occasion to ask someone who had before “I just suggest an emotion, you provide all the input into creating that feeling remember? I have no idea what anyone sees”

“Well” Dean said wetting his lips thoughtfully, letting his hurt ease off a little, replacing it with his well practiced indifference “When I was younger, our house caught fire. I woke up and the flames were already everywhere. My nightmare is, or was, seeing my mother burn”

“Oh!” Cas said genuinely shocked and feeling suddenly quite sick “Oh shit!”   
This knowledge deflated the hostility he felt toward Dean, made very human, very vulnerable again “I’m sorry” Cas said sincerely.

“I see her nearly every time I close my eyes” Dean murmured “Got used to it a long time ago”

“Still” Cas said, his voice fading to a whisper too “I’m sorry, it’s worse than I realised”

Dean wasn’t sure if he could believe that. Cas had to know that whatever anyone saw it was going to be horribly bad for them. He wondered if Cas wasn’t doing it now, using magic now to appear so blackened like he’d been burnt too.  
“Why do you looked that that?” Dean asked.

“I’m weak; I’ve blown all my energy”

“So you need food?”

“No, energy, what I take when I do those sessions. I need that” Cas explained hesitantly as his pride prickled at the thought of maybe asking this alpha for help. He stayed stubbornly still and silent instead, hoping Dean might go away or something.

 

“I thought you’d gone” Dean said eventually after examining the multitude of thoughts running around inside his head and settling on which was bothering him most “despite me telling you to stay, you left” 

“You ‘ordered’ me to stay down” Cas hissed remembering every ounce of pain that order had caused him, the pain all Dean’s orders had put him through “I’ve been bending the meaning of that order, fighting its restraints ever since” he said in a tone that was very telling of how hard that had been “You had no right!”

“I was going to protect you” Dean retorted sharply, and he was, every time doing it for Cas’ own good. He was going to take control, order the whole pack to stand down, but then he’d looked round and found himself alone; fighting for nothing.   
But then, he had said only to stay down, ‘Don’t move’ would have been far more specific.   
“That’s like, really bending the rules” Dean griped “I didn’t know you could do that” 

“Well, I’ve been staying down ever since” Cas snapped “Down wind and keeping well out of sight. Hence I’m so dirty and so very pissed now”

 

“If I’d known I’d have lifted it, ended the order, I didn’t mean for it to go on so long”

“Not ordering in the first place would have been better!” Cas scolded “I can defend myself!”

“Cas your crap!” Dean barked knowing first hand that that was true “You’re only ever a minute away from disaster, ever!”

“Like now you mean?” Cas said pointedly “With this werewolf beside me? Why order me to stay at all? Why are you even here Dean?”

“I don’t know!” Dean huffed “I guess I’m sorry things went the way they did, I guess I want to make amends or something!” Dean folded his arms stubbornly refusing to leave or fight any more about this “So are you still hungry?”

Cas shifted, he was but he was angry too.

“Because you can use me, if you like. If it makes up for me ordering you and stuff” Dean said

Cas couldn’t help it, he could already feel the warm buzz of Dean’s energy tempting him. He closed his eyes, concentrating on pulling a little of it closer.   
It came willingly, like it was waiting to fill him, tasting of something better than the blessed state he’d whip his clients into before feeding.   
Cas realised it was this that he’d been so addicted to, why he loved being in that house so much, why he hadn’t run when he’d heard Dean’s approach.   
But now the temptation to take was stronger, now this energy was being given.  
Cas wished he was stronger willed. “Are you sure?” he asked not sure what Dean was getting out of this, not sure how much he was going to regret being indebted.

“Yeah chow down” 

Cas didn’t need to be told twice he pulled greedily, filling himself full; stopping his slow slide back into his natural form and filling out again to fit his human guise.   
He took all he needed and didn’t stop. He took until he revelled inside with power and strength and possibility. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, hoping to drain the werewolf maybe? Hoping to get away now the order was lifted and he had strength enough to disappear completely?   
There was no way; his head swam, giddy with bliss, this was it what he’d been searching for all his whole life, a perfect taste of heaven.

Dean felt it a sudden light headedness like he’d over exerted himself.   
Beside him he felt Cas shift and expand. Felt him emotionally, just a little, like his shield had slipped to reveal some of the secrets inside.  
Dean sat up curiously, Cas looked human again flushed and utterly high. It was a look that suited him somehow, made him seem as if he was made of nothing but light inside.  
“What is it about you?” He asked not sure if Cas was even lucid enough to hear him “That makes everyone want you so much? That I want now?”   
It wasn’t a gay thing, at least Dean didn’t think it was, Dean just knew that he didn’t want Cas to ever leave again.

“I could say the same about you” Cas chuckled rubbing at his face like it was whole new wonderful sensation “But the answer to your question’s easy, I’m omega”

“A what?”

“You don’t know?” Cas said coming out of his happy space and looking to look at Dean suspiciously “Really?”

Dean shrugged

“Well okay” Cas said uncurling to lie on his back “Put simply, there’s alpha’s like you, all brawn; sorry crude generalisation but you get what I mean, yes?”

Dean nodded reluctantly; he felt that was all the pack valued him for anyway.

Cas continued “Betas who are brains and then there’s the omega’s who represent chaos. We’re emotionally driven sexually addictive creatures, which is great if for instance you happen to be a creature that feeds off of sexual energy like I do” Cas stopped to consider as ‘did’ might have been more appropriate.   
“I couldn’t say what use we’d be as werewolves or something different though. Other than irritate betas with our illogical decisions and frustrate testosterone fuelled alphas just by being there; which I guess is what’s happening to you now” He said watching Dean.

“No, it’s not that, it’s, look I’ve been with sex demons, felt their allure thingy” Dean said thinking about Lisa and possibly, well, probably all her friends who he had wanted, who he’d had even but only as means to an end. It had only ever been about the sex in the past and only in that moment, This.... He literally didn’t want Cas to leave ever again   
“This, this is way different, I feel like I’m in the right place or something with you here”

Cas scoffed at him “That’s the ‘allure thingy’ talking”

Dean shrugged casually not wanting to look too hard at whatever it was right now. He had his friend back and they were being more openly honest with each other than ever before, he didn’t want risk spoiling this so he sat quietly just enjoying the moment while Cas enjoyed his buzz beside him.   
He was more than a little satisfied that he was why Cas was buzzing beside him.  
~

Time passed and over head the sky slowly become darker, turning grey and heavy.  
Dean listened to the first few drops of rain hitting the parched earth. He couldn’t remember the last time it had rained, weeks ago at least; the even sound of water falling all around made their sanctuary seem at little more peaceful and further apart from the rest of the world. The rest of the world that seemed nothing but over complicated problematic as far as Dean was concerned.  
Water splattered off of the leaves above and bounced off of the dry ground forming rivulets quickly. It became a deluge outside, a cacophony of noise that began trickling into their safe space forming puddles beneath them.  
Cas sat up out of the way of one such puddle swelling to fill the space he had been resting in. water began dripping from where it had collected in the leaves above them, bowing the canopy to reveal a sharp flash of lighting.

 

“Why’d you leave?” Dean asked again, his alpha side hurting again now this moment was coming to an end.   
Cas was seeking better shelter while he remained stubbornly still letting the water soak him.

“I’m still here” Cas answered as he backed up against the trunk of a tree.

It wasn’t enough but Dean didn’t know what would be, if anything even could be.   
“I’m staying nearby” He said afraid to lose this but knowing it was ultimately inevitable “Your welcome to come, if you like” he added, purposely not ordering though his alpha nature demanded that he should do exactly that. “And they say to stay away from trees in a storm, their height attracts the lightning”

Dean forced himself up and began his journey back, the rain hitting him in full force as soon as he stepped out from under the trees soaking through to his skin within moments.   
Not that he noticed, he was too busy straining back his ears, listening for if Cas would follow.  
Dean struggled to bite back his grin at the sound of unshod feet trying hard to keep up on the rough terrain. Despite everything that had happened, they still had something between them; it was a start.  
~

They were both soaked by the time they got back to the garage apartment, the storm had stopped about half way through their journey so not the best timing ever but at least when they’d climbed the stars and opened the door to the apartment above there was no sign of fairies.

“Hello?” Dean called just to be polite but there was no noise coming from behind the bedroom door.  
“I think we can assume it’s safe. Bathrooms through there” Dean pointed letting Cas go first “Leave your clothes outside and I’ll run them through the wash and dryer below”

“Thank you” Cas said making his way through without hesitation.

Dean lingered till he had everything he needed then headed down to put their clothes on a quick wash, waiting patiently in nothing but a towel until he could put everything in the dryer before returning.   
When he’d picked up his duffel he hadn’t pack any more clothes than what he’d been wearing. He hadn’t planned a head at all. He wondered if he should go find something of Benny’s to borrow but he was already in nothing but a towel, he guessed it could wait.   
He transferred the clothes and returned upstairs, finding Cas with a long towel round his waist in the kitchenette, idly reading the back of a box of tea he’d found there. He smelt like Charlie’s products which had of course been left out so totally explanatory; what wasn’t was the aggressive surge that rumbled up without warning through Dean’s core.

Cas slammed the box back down onto the counter, muscles bunching up tight as he made ready to run, Dean was stood in the doorway behind him, the only escape.

Dean bit off the noise that had escaped him, clearing his throat awkwardly “Sorry” he muttered, regaining his senses   
“They’ll be done in an hour, the clothes” He said ducking into the bathroom to get away.  
“Feel free to watch TV, or there’s stuff in the cupboards, help yourself” He said closing the door behind him.

Cas tried to relax again, unsure if he was being too jumpy or if the alpha in Dean was threatening to come out and maybe get him. Dean liked other monsters, he reminded himself so it was probably nothing, maybe he’d just slipped up, easily done. Cas felt it a little himself, he already wanted more of that high feeding off of Dean had given him; itched for it in fact.  
He rooted round for something to do, finding pasta and a jar of sauce with all the bits in making it look more like a gourmet meal than student food. He decided he was going to make the lot, after all why be human if you weren’t going to relish every moment of it?  
~

Dean ventured out in time to see Cas struggling to stir his concoction together in a pan half the size of its contents.  
“Looks good” He commented “when do we eat?”

“Give it another couple of minutes” Cas said casually pretending to be happily distracted in his project.

“Sweet” Dean said getting comfortable in front of the TV. 

Cas watched him, just to make sure he really was in control of himself. Dean was still in his towel slouching across the small couch in a typical alpha male fashion.   
It grated, it should have grated because here they were both assuming their gender assigned roles almost instantly round each other but Cas knew it wasn’t that. It grated because his pasta had lost all of its appeal, despite knowing how dangerous a creature Dean was, he was still drawn to him, still wanted that high more than anything else. Anything being human had ever to offer.

Cas dished up and passed a plate to Dean.

“Hey come on, get comfortable” Dean said sitting up to make room. 

There was nowhere else to sit so Cas perched beside him while Dean tore messily through mouthfuls of noodles.   
It wasn’t attractive.   
Cas nibbled at his food while observing Dean eat with mild horror.   
It wasn’t so unlike Dean eating in his dog form and unfortunately it wasn’t doing a thing to repel this stupid craving any. He could feel Dean’s energy, just as vibrant as before, as if his feeding earlier hadn’t drained it even an inch. Hadn’t filled him already with enough power to keep him buzzing for at least a few days.

Even Dean’s heavy slurping couldn’t drown out the TV and nurse Piccolo forever though.

“Porn? Really?” Cas asked disappointed at the alpha’s predictability

“It’s Doctor sexy” Dean corrected 

Cas took a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

“Wait let me explain it” Dean said putting his food down, needing to justify this, his show, and save its integrity   
“The sex, this season at least is actually a very important plot point. You see, her brain is swelling rapidly putting extensive pressure on the septal region and over stimulating her sex drive. She only has this season to find a cure and that’s only if she can stay sated which, as you know, keeps the blood down south, So it’s up to Doctor Sexy to keep her stable while they brainstorm for cures! She’s the most important member of his team by the way second best doctor on the planet; Intense huh?”

“That’s not even thinly disguised porn” Cas huffed. “Humans, they have so much freedom, so much potential and they waste so much time on trivial things like sex... But... seeing as that’s basically how I make a living I suppose I should can it. It’s a nice show Dean” 

“I take it you don’t miss any of it then?” Dean asked through a mouthful of food. 

“Maybe a little” Cas sighed.

“Which little are we talking about?” Dean smirked 

Cas ignored the implied childishness in Dean’s question “Well, there was this sort of raw honesty at times. People dropped their everyday work personas and truly revelled in being themselves, they let go of everything, every rule and hang up and really, really fucked. It was I guess in a way cathartic”

“Are we talking about Rebecca?”

“Maybe, well yes; she was shamelessly shameless” Cas said smiling despite himself, he did like Rebecca “An inspiration to anyone to try anything at least once”

“Hot you mean”

Words formed and stuttered on Cas’ tongue. She made sex seem so liberating, a freedom well worth aspiring to...She made happiness seem so simple a thing to achieve, again and again multiple times.  
“Yeah she was hot” Cas said looking away, feeling a hot blush creeping up over him. He wasn’t so sure it was just Dean’s energy he was longing for, he wasn’t entirely sure his own nature wasn’t getting the better of him with this alpha so close. But thinking about her joy, how good her energy tasted when she reached a climax, well that thought was hard to dismiss right now.

Dean’s eyes caught on Cas’ exposed neck, like an invitation or maybe more a red flag willing him to act...

It was then that Charlie and Gilda returned pushing in with arms full of bags from the local store 

“What’s up...” Charlie started spotting Dean and friend in nothing but bath towels sitting almost thigh to thigh while watching porn over pasta   
“Could’a popped a sock on the handle give a girl some warning before walking in on a ghoulie match”

“We’re eating” Dean said shifting back quickly to face the screen and lifting his almost forgotten bowl to her.

“Naked eating” Gilda drawled

“I got soaked letting you two have the apartment so you could shag the living daylights out of each other, so sue me” Dean said unapologetically.

“Got soaked, found a hot buddy in like the middle of nowhere, lost all your clothes conveniently at the same time and decided to watch porn together” Gilda said finishing in time for nurse Piccolo to finally scream her ecstasy. Gilda arched an eyebrow, challenging Dean to deny her assumption.

Dean waited for the nurse to finish, taking his time to assume his best Sam voice.   
“We got another twenty minutes before our clothes are done drying. You, I’m afraid are clearly mistaking porn for reality here”

“Shame” Charlie said putting her bags down “Any hoo we have enough snacks and beer to make our possibly last night before pending disaster a little more comfortable”

“We’re taking the bedroom” Gilda said firmly “Where there will be no mistaking what is and is not reality”

“We’re fine out here” Dean replied tartly “Couldn’t lend us some beer though could you?”

Charlie popped a pack down beside him “Last night” she whispered conspiratorially “Make it count”

“Always do” Dean smirked putting his food down to take his prize.

Charlie sniffed, “Oh” she said realising now that the god awful smell was gone. From what she’d seen through her reading, she’d expected Dean’s true mate to be someone else, someone who he hadn’t really spent much time with. She hadn’t realised that Dean didn’t know who it was setting his alpha instincts off. Still, he’d found him anyway. Found him and gotten him half naked already.  
“One day” Charlie said in great awe at Dean’s casual attitude and speed when it came to solving problems that life threw at him “you’re really going to have to tell me your secret. But until then sayonara bitches my evil nature is calling me to do something very mischievous” she said pushing Gilda into the bedroom in a flurry of whispered giggles.

“Who are they?” Cas asked a minute after the door to the bedroom had closed and the giggles behind it calmed to rational proportions.

“Charlie, who I met yesterday and her friend Gilda, they’re fairies” Dean said like this was a totally normal situation to find themselves in   
“I don’t know a damn thing about fairies” he mumbled in case Cas thought this was in fact normal for him to be in.

“Don’t ever piss them off” Cas said gravely “Seriously I thought America was supposed to be free from supernatural things what with all the hunters”

“Same here” Dean agreed turning the volume up to drown out the extra sound effects the fairies were providing.  
He cracked open a beer and settled back, so far his last night was perfect.

~

Forty minutes later and Cas was nagging for his clothes back.

“Sheesh okay, keep your stupid towel on!” Dean said at the end of a truly epic episode which should have kept Cas far more enthralled. He disappeared to check on the clothes only to find that the dryer needed fixing.   
The lighter garments were mildly damp which was fine, kind of, but his jeans were a disaster. He plodded back up in his t shirt and boxers.  
“Here” He said handing Cas back his things “It’s not perfect” he warned as, as well as damp they smelt worse, smelt like detergent.

“Thank you” Cas said taking them with much relief. He’d been sitting perfectly still so long so not to let anything slip, it was going to be almost liberating to relax again.

Without really meaning to Dean watched Cas dress. Watched him taking his time to discreetly manoeuvre around the towel so as to keep his tail hidden; it was a lot of work considering he knew Dean already knew about it. Cas had seen Dean in every guise, while he had only chanced on seeing Cas in a weakened state, it didn’t seem fair somehow.  
“You know you can relax right?” Dean said hoping that Cas would, “That you don’t have to hide so much”

“It’s, kind of habit now” 

“So what about when you’re with friends or family? Do you get to relax then?”

“We’re typically all omega so don’t really get on, too alike” Cas said not liking to be put on the spot so much but if Dean really wanted to know, then maybe he should “We; my kind, we only keep anyone else around to feed off of which limits any kind of friendship we can have drastically” He said coldly, purposely emphasizing his predatory side.

“Do you ever kill people doing that?”

“No, not yet anyway. Look it’s late, I should go” 

“What, why?” 

“Because I’m only here to use you, and I don’t like that” Cas said, still fighting temptation to abuse everything at his disposal to do just that right this minute. “Plus I’m intruding, I think?” he said glancing at the bedroom door where little puffs of sound could be heard like some strange breathing exercise was going on behind there.

“You’re not” Dean said rolling his eyes at the implication of him ever getting it on with Gilda, “honestly, just no, and tomorrow, well tomorrow might be all change, so just stay”

Cas narrowed his eyes lifting his chin “What’s happening tomorrow? Your friend’s were implying it might be bad”

Dean huffed a sigh “There’s a summoning spell been put up somewhere round town, Charlie and Sam know more about it than I do but basically it’s drawing every supernatural monster here and tomorrow the mother of all monsters is gonna arrive. None of us know exactly what will happen once she gets here but, she was banished to where ever for a reason so we’re guessin’ it won’t be good”

“Do you mean Eve?”

“Yeah, you’ve heard of her?”

“I’ve read she’s a hate filled tyrant bent solely on twisting or ending everything forever” Cas said.

Dean looked up surprised “Where’d you hear that?”

“There was this rather intense library at a house I once stayed in”

“Yeah? What else can you tell me?”

“Let me think. She was described as the mother of darkness. That she somehow captured a gods power and become a self made goddess. This angered all the other gods so much that she needed an army to defend herself with against them, only she lacked the knowledge to create life. In her attempts however she made magic which she used to corrupt what the other gods had already created bending everything to her will and angering them all further. She ruined everything she touched giving her twisted monsters bits of her powers and a measure of the darkness from her own heart. They all became filled with her rage, marching out and infecting more and more like them creating her armies.  
When the gods found out they banished Eve to another realm but because so much of her rage and dark heart was still here inside all her supernatural monsters they couldn’t banish her completely. Eve’s magic leaks back through keeping everything connected to her. This is apparently why we are all still hell bent on aggressive or mischievous behaviour; we’re all in a way still supposedly avenging her”

As he’d listened Dean felt it, his inner rage stirring deep down inside. It was a horrible lust for destruction, a need to gorge on the hearts of victims and howl wildly at the moon. He’d learnt to control it, all the weird stuff that he really couldn’t justify. But where the monsters wants over lapped his own it was harder, he didn’t want Cas to leave.  
He closed his eyes willing himself not to think about it, it was stupid. Cas, or anyone should only stay because they wanted to. He shouldn’t be thinking about biting and turning people against their will, tying them to him in family packs, he really shouldn’t.

“You can feel it can’t you?” Cas said watching Dean closely “Your breathings picked up and I think your body hairs increasing”

Dean’s eyes snapped open, wild and bright as he regarded Cas, as he contemplated biting. He forced himself to calm, he didn’t want to be a monster so he wouldn’t. It was as simple as that.. if he could stop himself doing all the other stuff he could stop this crazy thing too.

“Are you in control of your nature Dean?” Cas asked cautiously.

“Yes” Dean said firmly “And I was always this hairy”

Cas nodded relaxing a little.

“Now stay” Dean said resisting the urge to make that an order “Seriously, after that I’ll worry if you go back out there”

“Thank you” Cas said sincerely, he’d spent enough time alone and he wasn’t sure he could turn away from what he wanted anyway “But I don’t know if I’ve got your level of control”

“I recon I can handle anything you can throw at me”

“Well, I guess you have so far” Cas huffed looking around at what little space and furniture they had “Shall I make a bed?”

“Yeah” Dean said as his alpha side surged up again.   
He retreated back to the sink, pouring himself some water as Cas got started on pulling the sofa apart and arranging the bits out on the floor.  
It wasn’t helping. It was like he was preparing for one of those sessions, the thought of shagging then biting filled Dean’s dick with hope “Fuck it” Dean muttered angling to hide his reaction.

Cas finished arranging and ducked into the bathroom. Probably to finish getting ready to sleep... Dean’s imagination however suggested he was cleaning up for an end of the world last minute fuck fest.  
“For fuck’s sake I’m not gay” Dean scolded himself but accepted he wasn’t going to be getting a handle on this any time soon..  
He pictured his Asian beauty pin up’s to try give his imagination something a little more sane to lust over while he waited his turn in the bathroom to get this sorted.   
By the third pic from his wank bank hall of fame rolled by the mood had all but left him.  
He sighed heavily with relief pouring himself a congratulary glass of water well done.

Cas re-emerged, frowning a little that Dean was still just where’d he’d left him. 

“Bout time” Dean said making his way in.

“You can hear things in there” Cas warned 

“That’s fine” Dean said just wanting to get on with it, but yeah, the girls were making some very inhuman noises, it sounded like, were they role playing? Orc’s?  
“Maybe we should turn the volume on the TV up? Give them some privacy?” Dean suggested.

Cas nodded letting Dean shut the door. He adjusted the volume and sat down on the makeshift bed he’d created. He could still hear the girls and now the sex on the TV was overwhelmingly loud as well, he was literally surrounded by sex at a time when he was trying not to think about feeding.   
He tried turning over but there was only one channel, with one program.  
He gave up curling up on a corner of the bed hoping for all the temptation to just go away and leave him be. His nature was getting harder to control, he wondered if that was Eve getting closer.

 

Dean came out after the coldest shower of his life to find Cas had already retired.   
He followed suite, flicking everything off and laying down silently. The cushions were too small and the feeling of forced intimacy way too much to get comfortable with, but this was it, their possible last night. It was awkward.

 

Behind the closed door little giggles suggested the girls were still making the most of it. 

Dean peeked over to Cas who was lying stone still and facing away from him.   
Dean went back to examining the ceiling hoping sleep would hurry the fuck up already.   
~

 

Dean may or may not have dozed but when he came back from a few stranger than strange thoughts it was to the rising rhythm of furniture rocking.   
It was impossible to ignore any longer.

Dean checked the time on is mobile lighting up the room with a soft glow as he did. He could still get another season of TV in.

Somewhere behind him Cas shifted “There’s a garage down stairs?” 

“Yeah?”

“Can we go there?”

Dean glanced at the dark TV screen, he really didn’t want Cas disappearing on him again “It’s cold” he warned.

“But quiet” Cas said getting up

“Let’s go check it out then” Dean huffed following Cas out.

Cas carried down the few cushions to set up and Dean retrieved a blanket he had in the back of the impala to add to the collection. Soon enough were all set to try sleeping again.  
They lay down awkwardly together trying too hard not to touch while getting comfortable.

Dean could still hear the fairies.“You’d think we’d be used to this by now” he joked but he was feeling horny again.

“How do you know about the summoning of Eve tomorrow?” Cas asked 

“Because Gilda and some witches did the summoning, something about them wanting some new world order”

“Fuck” Cas whispered

“I was starting to think the same thing” Dean said “Is it me or is it hot in here?”

“It’s a garage with absolutely no insulation” Cas said pulling his shirt closer “it is far from hot in here”

Dean tried emptying his mind but couldn’t turn off. He was hyper aware now of Eve and feeling ever more anxious about his friends. The need to turn them and keep them safe tormented him. Werewolves were strong fighters and fast healers, it made perfect sense; but man it was so wrong. The levels of horny it was making him was so, so wrong.  
“What are you thinking about?” he asked hoping Cas might distract him.

“The many things I’ll never get round to doing if we die tomorrow, why?”

“No reason” Dean lied “Cas, do you ever feel, that thing you were describing, that dark feeling, are you feeling it now?”

“I’m already at my darkest” Cas said, and he was, full of energy yet still hungry for more. He wanted that high so bad slick had begun to seep within him. He’d never used his omega sexuality as a weapon like this before. Usually just him being omega was enough to get what he needed, but Dean seemed resistant. Cas wondered at his control, wondered how long it had taken for him to perfect it like he had. He himself had just sunk to a whole new low.

Dean was studying Cas, he still looked like Cas, maybe better because ruffled hair suited him “You’re a bit disappointing on the whole monster scale of things”

“Thank you, but I’m not human and it takes a lot of power to do this”

Dean looked away, he didn’t like Cas’ charred look, didn’t want to really see that again ever but he had to know “So what should you look like?”

“Boring” Cas replied wondering why the alpha wasn’t going insane with the need to fuck yet, he was uncomfortably wet inside now, surely Dean had to be smelling it on him “You wouldn’t like me, I’m not interesting or sexy or anything. I’m better like this”

“Looks shouldn’t matter” Dean lied because well, burnt was disturbing “but what I meant was, are you strong? Can you heal?”

“No, not really”

Dean gripped the cushion, his alpha nature too much, chanting for him to dominate bite and claim.

“So what are you thinking about?” Cas asked as Dean was staring at him strangely 

“You’re going to say typical” Dean huffed “but sex” he admitted as he felt himself losing the battle, he could smell Cas, literally smell him weak and vulnerable beside him.

“Hmm” Cas smiled

“And I was maybe kind’a hoping you were thinking along the same lines” Dean said boldly “I mean if it’s our last night and everything “

“Sure, I’ll um, just go clean up then” Cas said jumping up.

“Really? You don’t mind?” Dean asked surprised because this wasn’t how it went with girls he’d pulled in the past ever

“It’s what I do isn’t it?” Cas assured him slipping off into the shadows.

Dean still wasn’t sure, he hated not being able to simply read Cas.   
He heard the water splashing noisily against the utility basin and wondered how this was going to go. Wondered if they should work out some sort of plan of action first. Important shit like who was going to lead. His alpha drive insisted that he was, but both he and his alpha drive were seriously lacking the imagination or experience to do just that with another guy.   
He’d be clumsy, maybe only satisfying himself, maybe... 

The faucet squeaked shut but Dean hadn’t heard any splashing to indicate Cas had even started to wash. 

“Do you need a turn?” Cas called from somewhere in the dark

“Ha! Since knowing you a full wash has kind’a become routine” he laughed, but it had.   
Dean sat up trying to see, hating Cas being out of sight so long, he could actually feel the nerves down his back tingle with his unease 

“Let’s begin then” 

Dean felt a static wave wash over him, thick and gloopy like jello, his anxiety eased, he felt ready.   
Cas stepped out from where he’d been hiding, completely bare and Dean forgot he’d ever been anything but comfortable with this. He stood up to meet Cas who was already in close enough to push his face in against Dean’s jaw.   
Dean stumbled, Cas’ directness throwing him off a little.   
Cas edged closer pushing in close again this time at Dean’s throat, working up sucking and nipping his way closer to meet his mouth. His thumbs were already hooking on the waist line of Dean’s boxers encouraging them down; he was making this so easy.  
Dean didn’t want to be a little princess about this but it was too fast. He still hadn’t worked out the where and how’s yet and Cas was steaming ahead into no man’s land anyway. Something occurred to him abruptly, straight out of the blue. It was the gay sex conversation he’d had with Sammy years ago after they’d seen two men kissing.   
Sammy’s brow had furrowed hard as he’d tried to work things out for himself before asking for own Dean’s skewed version of wisdom on the subject.  
‘But Dean’ he’d said pointing both his index fingers and bumping the tips together as if two guns were attempting to kiss ‘How’s that ever gonna’ work?’  
Dean barked a laugh directly into Cas’ mouth.

“Um, how are we gonn’a do this exactly?” Dean asked but he was looking into Hael’s blue eyes, he held her back away from him, then pushed her further. Hael with her manly chest and soft lady parts between her legs, this was going to be so easy now, but he didn’t want that... How had she even got here?   
Dean searched to read her emotions, scented the air around her repeatedly.

Hael smiled wickedly, sauntering forward again, becoming Cas as she got closer.

Dean threw his hands up to stop her/him/her. He still couldn’t scent or feel anything; his hands went straight through making the illusion disappear completely.  
He blinked rapidly in confusion.   
Cas was still fully dressed sitting lotus style in the shadows by the sink. His tail was loose the fur standing fully on end as it waved about erratically.   
Dean stepped over hesitantly not knowing if he could believe his eyes this time either but Cas was solid to the touch, pliant and heavy in his grip as Dean pulled him up, scenting him to be sure.   
Cas smelt incredible, his scent alone arousing Dean back into the mood. He buried his face deep against Cas’ neck licking and kissing and tasting him there.

Cas was too high on Dean’s energy to realise or maybe care that things were going wrong, he melted into Dean’s embrace his skin feeling as warm as the bubbly hum of stolen energy inside of him at the attention.   
When Dean’s lips found his he tried clumsily to kiss back.

Dean paused after Cas’ unusually ungraceful efforts had caught his lip for a third time.  
Something was wrong but Cas’ scent had grown stronger, too enticing now to pull away from, Dean pulled away enough to lift off his t shirt, hoping some skin on skin feeling would help ease the nerves between them.   
Cas’ lips were unusually swollen already, he looked flushed and utterly high as he watched Dean strip. Dean preened at the attention but waited letting Cas to make the next move. 

Cas’s eyes lingered for ever over the alpha’s body, contented just to look for too long.

Dean found himself moaning impatiently, reaching to pull off Cas’ shirt and get things moving again.

Cas hands flew back to anchor his top firmly down,

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked stopping himself taking this any further

“I have no idea what I’m doing” Cas confessed 

 

Dean inhaled deeply, frustration building under his skin “But you were alright before? Is it me?”

“Before?”

“Before when you’d disappear to do individual sessions with everyone else”

“Dean, I don’t ever” Cas huffed “I suggest an emotion and you provide all the input remember?”

“Oh” Dean said suddenly staggered “So?”

“None of it was real” Cas finished for him “Ever”

“So Hael?”

“Never existed, it’s just a name I use when people ask about someone they’ve clearly made up completely”

“Okay” Dean said slowly processing “So when she sort of had a dick”

“You provide all the input, see whatever you want to see, whatever makes you horny”

Dean opened his mouth to protest

“All of it Dean” Cas said sternly so that they’d be no more confusion on this “I just watched to see if you were a giver or a taker and paired you up with whoever I thought suited. You could have stopped any time, when ever I tasted someone’s energy souring because they weren’t entirely happy I’d switch them round, you were always a very, very happy bunny taking everything you could”

“But” Dean stammered remembering his deeply sore throat that time “I’m not gay, or at least I wasn’t then” He said scratching a hand through his hair. 

“You might have always been a little bit gay” Cas said sympathetically “everyone is subconsciously”

Dean wasn’t buying it, but couldn’t deny that Cas in all his maleness was still doing things for him, that his whole being longed to just tap that already and make it his.  
“So, where does that leave us?” He asked because this was the only thing, this was everything.

“I’m a virgin” Cas confessed looking away.

“Really” Dean said doubtfully, it wasn’t rejection but it wasn’t expected either “But you were always telling everyone what to do, how?”

“I knew Lolita by heart at six, I’ve read every bit of slash fiction, watched every porno, I’ve learnt my craft”

“And you’ve never wanted to try?”

“I think I became desensitized, a really long time ago”

“That’s, well that’s really sad; it’s fun, all I lived for during my teens if I’m honest”

“But it’s what I’m supposed to like, what my nature demands I like; what my life has always been about!” Cas said ranting now “I’ve tried to rebel against it, in every way! But humans like sex.....” Cas stopped himself from going on, sopped and let his frustration subside back in to futile indifference.  
“Sorry” He said calming down again “What gave it away anyway?”

“I don’t know” Dean huffed “It just felt wrong”

“If you want we can start over. I’ll concentrate harder on the feeling this time; I’m probably rusty on that these days”

“Nah” Dean said waving him off “Now I know ....”

Cas nodded. “I understand”   
Cas went to sit down again on his bit of the bed, his short lived high long forgotten leaving him just feeling frustrated at being kissed, actually kissed, and by an alpha. It was nice. Nicer than he’d expected which of course, made him curious.  
“So what do you see?” Cas asked

“Huh?”

“In the sessions? Everyone sees some girl or a boy or this” Cas said pointing to himself “But how exactly does it go after that?”

“Oh uh, it uh gets fuzzy, things switch” Dean said scratching his head as he tried to remember, “it felt, it felt hot, but it was actually very confusing”

“Oh,” Cas said surprised, “so not that great?”

“The best part was thinking I’d found someone, someone I gelled with completely”

Cas’ face screwed up “I’ve been unintentionally cruel again haven’t I?”

Dean shrugged, he’d just pushed that someone away when she’d stepped in to replace Cas “It’s possibly going to be the end of the world tomorrow, I wouldn’t sweat it” 

“Dean?” Cas asked hesitantly as Dean started to get comfortable again on the bed beside him  
“I really liked the kissing”

“Mm” Dean sighed licking his sore lip “You could do with researching that some more”

“Could we do that now?”

“No magic?” Dean asked cautiously 

“No, no magic” Cas confirmed “just practical practice”

Dean eyed Cas dubiously, he really wanted this, more than he could sanely justify he wanted this. It was bizarre and scary, and it was going to be a whole new thing for Cas too. They were kind of on an equal footing “Thought you’d never ask” 

“But not too fast” Cas warned as the alpha near pounced on him.

“K” Dean said wrapping his arms round Cas and getting straight back to where he’d left off only slower. Letting Cas set the pace as he figured it out.

It was slow going, Dean flagged dreadfully but Cas was happy so he continued hoping they might find some rhythm. His hands started to wander to fill the time till they did. He already had them around Cas’ midsection but now they began to explore further edging up under the shirt to stoke lightly before headed down. Cas’ sweats were still low on his thighs, it didn’t take much effort for Dean’s to find and investigate the tail there.

Cas gasped “Don’t” he started shocked as fingers closed in round his tail

Dean didn’t let go, the tail felt realer than he’d expected the knobbles of bone beneath the thin skin were prominent in his grasp. This was Cas, really him. Dean wanted to know and claim every inch. The fur felt just like fur would, smooth and soft as Dean ran his hand along the entire length. “Too fast?” He asked not stopping.

“No, maybe” Cas said unable to relax.

“Hey loosen up would ya, I just wanted to be sure you weren’t using it” 

“I’m not” he assured Dean but he couldn’t relax, a yank on his tail was going to be painful

Dean let it go but continued to touch everywhere else, every where he could with Cas still fully clothed as he was. Cas seemed more comfortable with this so Dean continued, hitching Cas’ leg up working his way to rest in between as they continued to make out.   
Cas rolled willingly letting his tail tuck safely away under them. With Dean leaning over him it was easy to try touching back, he ran his fingers up round Dean’s bare sides feeling every muscle work as Dean moved above him.

It was too slow, Dean tugged at Cas’ shirt lifting it for him to take it off. It meant pulling apart but Cas sat up to push it up over his head. The shirt blindfolded him for a moment, left him open for Dean to take advantage of.   
Dean dove in, enjoying how sensitive Cas was to everything, it was nice to be the one teaching this time after letting go his control so often to more experienced hands. He teased every part of Cas’ body as Cas jostled with his shirt, enjoyed the feel of every hard plan every stray hair that Cas had to offer, everything that made him unique. It was pure uncomplicated affection and it felt as good as to him as anything he’d watched or felt Cas’ clients do.

Cas relaxed under the attention, felt bolder the longer their petting continued. He pulled at Dean to shift, encouraging him to lie across him some more so he could touch back.  
Cas wrapped his arms firmly round to kneed and grip at Dean’s shoulders, pulling him down to closer and exerting a little of his own control over their pace. All his reading had done this no justice; words couldn’t explain just how much physical touch would affect him so much. He felt warmth right through to his core, dissipating the loneliness he held deep inside there. He felt somehow connected to Dean in this, felt more connected to the physical and even the more base desires of his self. It was liberating to just let go his hold on his omega nature, to let his body react as it wanted to, to feel the warmth and affection it craved.

Dean shifted to cover Cas completely, resting his weight to pin Cas down allowing him to explore too. This was slow going but Cas smelt, even tasted amazing as Dean sucked along his collar bone. Dean felt Cas grind up a little beneath him, finally ready to step it up a bit.  
He ran a hand along Cas’ thigh, hitching it higher to allow for easier access to grope at his ass. Dean stroked down there squeezing the muscle of Cas’ buttock and finding his sweats were damp to the touch. His cock twitched back to life, forgetting that he wasn’t with a girl Dean tugged at Cas’ pants eagerly before stopping himself “Too soon?”

Cas had frozen again, “Um maybe” he said though maybe he wanted it too.

“Okay” Dean agreed setting back in to make out again, Cas’ mouth was cold, a different sensation. Dean licked into him filling him with his warmth preening with pride at himself as he felt hands gripping low tight and needy at his pelvis. He rolled his hips gently teasing at Cas’ own crotch. There was no response but his own need piqued to a painful distraction.  
“Uh” Dean said sheepishly, “I might have to masturbate”

“Okay” Cas replied too politely 

Dean sighed in relief, that was easy; and so was the plan his mind was formulating for ways to do this “I could try get you off to? It’d be just grinding together nothing too weird. Wanna try?”

Cas’ brow furrowed as he really thought about it. He wanted to, but couldn’t believe Dean’s level of self control.

Dean dipped down to nip at a nipple, filling the time while Cas came to a decision 

“Okay” Cas gasped just wanting more.

“You’ll need these off” Dean said pulling away

Cas hesitated “Are you still completely in control?” 

“Yeah, course” Dean said kicking off his own pants. 

Cas wiggled out of his sweats and as he exposed himself fully Dean felt as if maybe he wasn’t even nearly actually in control. Cas made it feel like a whole new experience, he felt over eager and childishly excited, closing the distance between them again enthusiastically. His hands roamed over every inch again, all new now Cas’ skin was exposed; pleased to find Cas was now comfortable with this as he stroked down the length of his tail once more.  
Dean bit gently at Cas lip in reward at coming so far pushing them back down again to fit himself between Cas’ thighs as they approached the next step.  
Cas lay back opening up and losing himself in the moment, this was something else, a different sort of high. Stories about alphas had been drastically wrong, or at least Dean was nothing like the wayward beast he was meant to be. He was soft, controlled and had a self discipline Cas could admire. Cas’ own body trembled for Cas to move it along already. Nowhere near patient enough to wait for Cas’ head to come to terms with the physical desires he was currently feeling.

Dean fingers were still investigating that tail, what little he could get at with Cas lying on it again so much. It was wet, almost greasy underneath and neurotically fascinating to him.  
He pulled at Cas tilting his hips to grope his ass some more. Cas was warm and moist down there, becoming positively wet the further Dean crept into his crevice. Dean’s fingers were soon soaked, coated warm and wet with a strange slippery substance, his cock jumped hard at the sensation. 

Cas’ breath hitched, taken aback by how much more stimulating Dean’s touches had suddenly become and concerned too that Dean had stopped.

“Dean?”

Dean’s head was far away, preoccupied in his examination of the clear moister coating his fingers. 

“Dean?”

Dean turned back to regard Cas, his eyes were too bright, flashing dully red in the darkness around them. He looked predatory.

“Dean. Are you still there?” Cas asked freezing up

Dean breathed in long and heavy “Course” he smiled, though even to his own ears his voice was changed, heavy.  
“What is this? Some kind of lube?” He asked finding the stuff intoxicating. He felt down again sliding his hand easily through the grove of Cas’ ass making him squirm wildly as he purposely brushed against the rim of his hole.

“Slick” Cas gasped finding the sensation too much yet wanting it all the same “You said you’d been with monsters before?” he said opening more to Dean’s hand, shifting so he’d catch him right again.

“Yeah” Dean sighed angling his fingers till they intruded in on his next stroke. Cas was wetter inside, wet hot and so, so smooth. Slick pooled in the palm of Dean’s hand. “Can I?”

Cas’ body couldn’t wait a second longer “Yeah” he gasped as Dean pushed his finger in deep.  
Cas relaxed his muscles, enjoying the feeling when Dean was suddenly out, pulling him around again with a deep growl. Positioning their hips to...   
“No wait!”

“Fuck, yeah sorry” Dean said stopping himself.   
“I, shit I” Dean stammered feeling slick trickling onto the exposed head of his cock. He ran a wet hand over himself bucking up into it instantly. “I need” He gasped struggling not to look down at how close he was to penetrating into Cas who thighs were still open for him.   
“Sorry, like we said slow” Dean said backing off.

Cas stopped him, pulling him back to make out again “I don’t want to stop” he said willing Dean back into it, “I just thought you’d lost control of your alpha side there”

Dean swallowed hard. He didn’t trust himself to move so stayed still exactly how Cas wanted him. Letting Cas grind against him while he thought about all things less sexy feeling like, like... he couldn’t focus on a single damn thing.  
“I need” he whined scraping his teeth gently up behind Cas’ ear, resisting the urge to whisper an order for him to submit “I gotta move Cas”

Now Cas was swallowing his nerves, steeling himself to just do to what his body wanted, was made for “Just, don’t knot me” 

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes”

Dean angled and pulled Cas in to him, sliding them together till they couldn’t be any closer joined. Cas was everything he’d been expecting hot and soft and everything, he was too close, the build up had taken too long, Dean came hot and lazy, hardly moving as his spilled with relief.  
“Fuck, I’m sorry” He mumbled as fairy lights twitched in and out of his vision.

“’s okay” Cas said feeling the swell he’d been so afraid of begin to start, it wasn’t anything like what he’d expected, it wasn’t fighting against him, it was deeper filling the softer expandable tissue inside and nudging gently against his prostate   
“It’s actually easier than I’d expected”.

Dean barked a laugh “Man your easy” he said not wanting to move now, needing to draw this moment out and fully bask in his blissed out state. Cas seemed happy enough finding his own rhythm and working small circles against him. He returned to reignite their kiss catching Cas’ mouth again and finding his breath was still hitched. Cas really was still in the moment, Dean’s spent cock still working wonders for him. Dean thought he could maybe salvage this.  
Going slow was easier now; Dean could give all the attention a first timer would want now. Sucking at wrists, nibbling along ears he indulged Cas in every bit of foreplay he could without making the effort of moving from where he was.   
Cas groaned beneath him voice becoming ever more wrecked. Dean grinned childishly at having reduced this desensitised orgy leading professional voyeurist to this state. He sucked at nipple again teasing him further.

“Please!” Cas gasped griping him tighter.

“Please what?”

“Please just fuck me already”

“I think those orgies may have given you the wrong impression” Dean chuckled but pushed his hips anyway. He was still hard, the feel of soft fleshy walls giving to him still awesome. 

Cas whimpered at his slow stroke and Dean felt a fresh rush of moisture soaking down his length making his next thrust impossibly smooth. He fucked harder ignoring how imposable this was and focussing instead on chasing the next orgasm building with in him.   
Cas arched angling himself better to meet him. Dean pushed in deeper, feeling light headed as every fibre of his body grew over whelmed with sensation. Deliciously warm slick walls and a tight shyntor closing in to squeeze around his base.   
Cas tipped and shuddered gasping loudly. Dean came again watching that moment Cas discovered just what it was about sex that had everyone hooked.

“Wow” Cas muttered after a minute “That was something”

“Yeah” Dean agreed feeling exhilarated and ready to just lie back and savour this.   
Cas was still clenched round him and despite all that slick was still gripping him tightly “Okay Cas time to let go” He said pulling again uselessly.   
He stopped trying and felt down between them where they joined. He was still swollen, and to biblical proportions down there where he disappeared inside Cas’ hole. 

Cas whimpered and twitched at the touch of fingers against him clamping harder.  
Stars threatened Dean’s vision as Cas’ reactions threatened to pull another orgasm out from him. He didn’t have the energy he was sure, something was drastically wrong   
“What’s happening?” 

“We’re fucking” Cas replied through heavy breaths

“This is not fucking” Dean said dipping his fingers in again to make sure what he felt the first time was right. 

Cas bucked hard against the intrusion, the sudden movement forcing another rush of seed to spill filling him further. His body instinctively arched making room to catch and hold it all, his senses flooding with pleasure at the added fullness within him.

“Explain how this is even possible” Dean gasped recovering, feeling himself filling again in anticipation for another “I’m literally trapped balls deep in you and still hard and horny as fuck” 

“Stop fucking for five minutes” Cas gasped feeling that maybe he was reaching his own limits now “You’re an alpha”

“Yeah I got that much” Dean said struggling to stay still when his very core demanded that he chase the next climax, that that he fill Cas already before his dick burst with the pressure of holding still so long

“Alpha’s have a higher testosterone, they ah” Cas stuttered as Dean twitched within him “They knot when they, they knot and they rut”

“Knot?” Dean asked enjoying this power over Cas a little too much, he was close again, so close it was distracting.

“You’re an alpha male. You must have masturbated, popped a knot at some point”

“If that’s this then no, never” Dean stopped to think for a moment about all those shags, they didn’t come close to this, hardly worth mentioning “But then, I guess I only presented when you started renting’”

“You’re kidding?” Cas said growing serious “You’re implying I triggered this? You presenting? I thought...I presumed you’d been a were a while, that you had a handle on it”

“I did, had it completely under control” Dean said a little offended “I was fine till I tried shagging you so yeah, maybe this is on you”

“No. It has to be coincidence” Cas stammered remembering now the untimely heat that had threatened to take him being round Dean so much before; the heat that had begun boiling under his skin again wanting to make its self known.   
“We’re completely different species everything within our nature is totally at odds” Cas said beginning to rant “our human form is the only compatibility between us. And even then we don’t get on, this makes no sense!”

“We get got along great” Dean protested, rocking his hips till he felt Cas’ irritation evaporate. His fast healing recovered his stamina and somehow this was even better than before.   
Cas smelt fantastic, felt amazing and now that he was letting go of his emotional barriers Dean could feel a vulnerability to him. A vulnerability his alpha side revelled to consol. He encompassed Cas in his arms as he continued to rock them together. Holding them close until the soothing motion and the feeling of intimately in this moment was all that occupied their minds.   
“We get along just fine” Dean growled low into Cas’ ear.

The sound melted a path straight to Cas’ core, coaxing his own penis into life, a possessive alpha noise full of desire “Well, we shouldn’t be”

Dean wanted to argue; wanted to but couldn’t. He didn’t know enough about all this. But he was sure Cas was wrong. He nipped at Cas throat again, sucking a mark as he swelled harder. Cas wrapped his legs more firmly round him and tried reaching down between them.   
Dean made room for him to adjust, sat up to angle himself just right for his next push crushing himself against that spot that had Cas gasping so much. He held them there as Cas arched and bucked apart milking free his own release.

Cas squirmed to contain everything inside him. Dean watched him, his skin was flushed red in places and he was sweaty as hell. He chuckled a little at that as his eyes trailed up to where they joined. Cas was still griping himself, a small splash of come trailing down his side.  
Dean had forgotten about Cas having a dick. “So” He said a little embarrassed “Do you uh, do this? Knot I mean?”

“No!” Cas said horrified at the question “That’s purely an alpha thing, I just have the um, butt thing”

“The omega butt” Dean huffed amused, sitting as much back as he could to look again at them joined “It’s a great butt”

“Thank you” Cas said hiding behind his arms from the stupidity of it all.

“I’m still hard” Dean sighed seeing himself still wedged in tight “How long is this going to last?”

“Depends” Cas murmured “but another hour at least”

Dean scented the delicious smell between them, Cas smelt good enough to eat. Dean felt his body building its self up fast again with as much fervour as it had the first time “I’d have wanted alpha status long ago if I’d known about this added perk”

“So I guess you don’t know anything about mating cycles, bonds or true mates either” Cas asked peeking back at Dean

“Nope”

“You really need to home and ask, these things are important” 

“Right after the mother of darkness thing tomorrow”

“Good” Cas said as his world and concerns all fell back into perspective.


	21. Chapter 21

Cas woke hot and tacky in the night, too thirsty to sleep any longer. He couldn’t see his clothes so just crept over to the utility as he was, stepping quietly so’s not to disturb Dean who was still deeply asleep.  
The faucet squeaked and the water bounced loudly as it hit the basin, Cas hurried to quieten the sound before taking a drink. The flow of water was incredibly uneven, splashing him everywhere, inspiring a full wash while he was there.   
It wasn’t a bad idea, sweat had dried everywhere and between his thighs the aftermath of his activities had become dry and itchy.  
He was still tender down there, washing gingerly round himself to get it all off.   
He couldn’t believe he’d done it. Couldn’t believe he’d avoided doing it so long, it was what he was and right now, for the first time he was okay with that, it felt good. Better than good, his body already yearned to do it again. Cold swipes of his wet hand was having the exact opposite effect his cleaning was supposed to be achieving.

“STOP!”

Cas froze at the growled order settled over him, he didn’t even dare to breathe as the alpha stalked closer.

The alpha had taken great offence at his scent, his marks being scrubbed away like this. He watched Cas struggle against the order now holding him like he’d watched him washing off his claim on him. He casually gripped Cas’ neck stilling his struggles further and forced him further over the sink. 

Cas had no choice but to submit he griped the cold porcelain hard unsure how he was going to get out of this.

The alpha was still angry, but Cas touching himself intimately like that, missing so much of the mess still on him and now bending for him, his anger shifted, turned into a need to re-stake his claim.  
“PRESENT” He ordered, the word tumbling without thought, he had no idea what it meant just that his alpha demanded it.

Cas bent lower, canting his hips and spreading his legs to please the alpha.  
Dean loosened his grip, trailed his hand down Cas’ naked spine stopping at his hips. His alpha wanted this, it was hard to stop the beast taking like this especially as the scent of mate escalated his desire.

Cas felt hot breath on his inner thigh, a tickle of hair on his butt cheek. The tension turned to a nervous thrill of excitement for what the alpha was about to do back there.

The alpha scented what was left of their love making. Scented deeply how ripe his mate was. He finished what Cas had started, licking away their joint mess making his mate ready to be marked up a new.

Cas’ sore over sensitised muscles warmed at the attention, a brush of teeth at the crease of his thigh had him relaxing into the order, enjoying its powerful possessive hold. His heat warmed him impossibly further making him fever hot; he dipped and arched exaggerating his pose for his alpha who nipped ever closer to his premium in reward.   
Slick welled ready to swamp him again.   
The alpha’s tongue caught the first trickle; then the next chasing the stream, licking a path to its source. He lapped and teased at Cas’ rim for more, till the deluge coated him down to his clavicle 

“Please” Cas said unable to submit any further, he felt the alphas mouth pull into a grin against his skin as he continued eating at him, refusing to pull away “I need this, need you to knot me now”

The alpha stood, lording over the freshly made mess of his mate for a moment, heat flushed slick and needy. That was how he should always look for him, always.  
He plunged in working them hard till his first release spilt and his knot swelled locking them together.   
Cas sighed with relief, in this position Dean’s cock rested heavily, perfectly against his prostrate filling that need within him. But he wanted more, to feel the strain of holding too much of his partners come. He tried to move, to fuck himself back against the knot and milk it, but the order held him, preventing even that small freedom. Fingers wrapped round his tail pulling it up out of the way and pinning it securely under hands that clasped at his hips.

The alpha watched their union, rocked minutely to see the effects of his knot swollen huge inside his mate. It looked perfect, this was....  
“Shit I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to, I lift the order okay?” Dean blurted coming back to himself, waking up from a world where he was little more than were.

“It’s okay” Cas panted in near ecstasy at even the most gentle rock massaging him inside “Really it’s okay”

“Really really?” Dean asked mischievously at hearing Cas so wrecked “You’re not just saying that because you’ve got my cock stuck in you, again are you?” Dean reached to understand Cas’ emotions, it wasn’t hard Cas was revelling almost recklessly with pleasure at being taken like this.

“If your cock were still moving I might mean it more” Cas said with false dryness.

“Bossy!” Dean scolded with a yawn “what time is it anyway? Why are we even up?”

“I was thirsty and you were a possessive alpha”

Dean gave his hips a small thrust “Hey where that goes I go” He joked wishing he really were joking because he was hooked, on a primitive base sort of level he was hooked.   
“So” He said little afraid to ask “You omega’s, can you uh, have like kids if you uh, wanted?” He asked willing his embarrassingly strong inner need to make a pack to shut up already. What he had was good enough, it was...

“Not like this” Cas said horrified, thinking about gravity and obviously the maleness of the human form he’d chosen especially to deter such thoughts. “It’d hurt! But yeah in my true form I can pup” He confessed quietly blaming the heat of the moment for him uttering it at all.

“Pup?” 

“We tend to have litters”

“Holy shit” Dean gasped his knot taking on a life of its own, demanding his full undivided attention while it did its thing “Fuck” Dean said recovering from the most surprise orgasm to have ever claimed him “I just might have a breeding kink”

Cas smiled, the splash of new come setting satisfyingly within him “Then breed me alpha”

~

 

The next time Cas woke it was early morning, the suns first rays just spilling into their hiding space and illuminating the dust motes hanging lazily around them.   
The air was chill against his heated skin and again the alpha was sleeping soundly. They’d slipped apart sometime in the night after retreating back to the bed and now Cas needed him. 

“Mmph” Dean moaned as Cas tried to wake him rolling over to rest some more. 

Cas abandoned hope with the man and pushed between Dean’s thighs instead to coax the knot he needed awake instead.

Dean woke to a sloppy blow, more god awful and ticklish than good.

Cas smiled up at him, pulling off with a pop to eagerly present.

Dean blinked; was it his imagination or was the tail bigger? Cas’ hands were dark too, dark with misshapen fingers.  
“What’s wrong?” Dean asked concerned “Are you weak? Do you need to feed?” 

“Need sex” Cas said rolling his body to present anew

Dean was up, spreading him wider to squeeze his already swollen knot home. He drilled mercilessly till he felt his omega trembling apart beneath him. Satisfied with his efforts he relaxed into the bone deep contentment Cas was emitting while he filled again.   
He noticed how his own hands had grown into elongated claws where he gripped Cas’ shoulders and that he was covered in a fine downy layer of fur all over.   
“What’s happening? Why are we changing?”

“It’s that pull, it’s stronger, calling at us to come”

Dean clutched at Cas harder “We’re not going” they said decisively he had everything right here, they didn’t need to go.

“I’m not leaving this” Cas sighed, too far gone to his heat now to care about anything else right now “I need it too bad” he said patting Dean’s thigh with a wide grin as he felt the next tide of come building.

Cas’ words left Dean feeling a little cold “It’s more than just shagging though isn’t it? You feel it don’t you? This thing between us?”

“I feel a hot alpha inside me”

“But it’s more right? like true mates or something like that”

“It can be whatever you want it to be” Cas smiled effortlessly “Whatever gets your juices flowing”

“I want it to be everything”

“Then everything it is” Cas said grasping Dean’s hand now “Everything. We’ll make a home somewhere, somewhere with lots of wild grass and make cute little cross breed pups of our own”

Dean knew Cas was mocking him, implying that he knew nothing about these things. But he did, he felt it, knew this was the real thing. That this was it forever now.  
“I’m gonna hold you to that” He said pulling them up so Cas straddled his lap, He buried his face against Cas’ back breathing him deeply, wrapping his arms round tight to hold them tightly together.  
It was nice but Cas couldn’t move, legs too wide, too weak to gain leverage. For ten minutes he tolerated it, till slick welling inside him demanded they move if he didn’t want it pooling inside in place of his mates come.

“I need you to fuck me! It’s getting uncomfortable now” Cas whined trying to bounce himself.

Dean could feel the reservoir meant to ease his knot building unused, creating the wrong kind of pressure round his cock. Still he refused to move not wanting to lose this, to lose his hold on his mate.

Cas wriggled harder, his efforts all useless against Dean’s alpha strength, he struck out in frustration “Come on move!” He pleaded but noticed something else, something that drew his attention more. His hands were dark against Dean’s heavily haired arm, he was returning to true form. A change he couldn’t resist happening; and why should he? He shifted a little further slowing the change to a near stop so as he shrank minutely down, shifting around the cock, giving him the friction he so desperately needed.  
Slick gushed to where it was needed, slipping over and around to lubricate the engorged knot and ease its passage inside him again. The feel of movement and the nudge of the cockhead penetrating him deeper was enough to tip him over the edge, and finally!   
Cas clutched at the arms still holding him as he fell apart, relishing their tight grip now that he had what he wanted.

“Stop!” Dean growled realising what was happening, that he’d be fucking into a burnt version of his mate before long if this continued. The feel of slick gliding over him, coating even his balls and the hold of soft wet walls around him again though proved too much though. Sweat beaded in his effort not to succumb, the fresh smell of slick shattered all that. He came hard, too much seed now rushing out; the relief was awesome, feeling Cas shift to take it all incredible. He relaxed into the orgasm, his tight hold on his involuntary change loosening a little.

Cas gasped and as cock inside him grew in proportion to the rest of Dean behind him. The order to stop had stopped even the last shudders of his pleasure, held him on that high which was now intensified by the cock growing, stretching him out further and filling him hard.  
“Oh fuck yeah” He sighed tilting his head to allow the nip of long teeth to nuzzle him there. This was, this was everything, he couldn’t dream of a better or more fulfilling high... But, as he came down he felt another pull.  
“We need to go now” Cas panted eyes down cast, submissive to the alpha monster panting wet and heavy at his ear “I can feel her, she’s close we need to finish up”

Dean growled in frustration that Cas could still be so distracted, the pull had nothing on him compared to this here, what they had between them.

 

Upstairs the fairies were now ready to go. 

Dean clutched Cas to him harder pulling them into the shadows as two small lights, pink and purple, fairies in true form, drifted down the stairs. They popped back to full size to open the door to leave. 

“Wait, we should all go together” Charlie said.

Dean watched her, naked and sparkly with long gossamer dragonfly wings. Her features were sharp now. ugly in fact but she still looked oddly beautiful.

“What why?” Gilda pouted

“I just... Have this feeling” Charlie explained with a nervous crack of her long pale fingers.

“We can handle this!” Gilda hissed impatiently grabbing at Charlie’s arm. Gilda’s true form was not so pretty, or maybe it was and it was merely the angle. Her black lips framing a thousand needle like teeth as she spoke was disquieting.

Cas flinched hard at the sight, a strong hand slapped quickly over his mouth to prevent him gasping. A huge hand which was furry with long black claws.   
Cas turned to peek behind him a little. Dean, or rather the werewolf that now loomed over him was now easily head and shoulders above him. The knot still penetrating him didn’t feel so good suddenly, not now that he was surrounded by monsters. He felt trapped and uncomfortably full, he wriggled as much as he could testing Dean’s hold on him. The knot twitched hard inside him, hard enough to threaten organs and Cas squeaked in fear of it. His traitorous body however flooded again with slick, slackening muscles further in anticipation for hours more fucking and seed spilling to come.

“Dean are you in there?” Charlie called sure that she’d heard something. Something in the darkest shadows of Benny’s workshop “We’re going to go, you coming with?” She said hesitating on exploring that sound any further. Despite this being her realm and despite all her powers, she felt apprehensive suddenly.

Outside was another voice, Gilda talking to someone, Charlie whipped out into the relative safety of the sunlight to join them.

Outside Dean heard Andréa and Benny talking, greeting Charlie and her friend. He sensed the difficulty between them, felt the discomfort of these naturally opposing species trying to find some sort of common ground between them

“So you’re both with Dean?” Andréa asked.  
Dean felt her hunger, her greed for magic blood. Benny hadn’t exaggerated the hold it would have over Andrea; it was all that was on her mind.

“Sure are” Charlie answered lightly.   
But her tone was false, too high to be anything but pretence.

“We’re all just friends!” Gilda clarified “and that’s only by necessity”   
There was no need for the were to read into her hatred of anything that wasn’t fae. 

“Where is Dean anyway?” Benny asked  
Dean felt Benny’s familiar honesty, but also his enhanced vampire greed. He was working every bit as hard as Andréa to control himself, maybe he always had been.

Cas recognized he southern drawl from the bar, remembered how the man behind it had been on his case the moment he’d spotted him that day. He had another monster to worry about, his instincts screamed at him to run!

Dean picked up instantly on Cas’ sudden rush of anxiety. Rolling them forward so he was crouching protectively over him. He pushed Cas down possessively hiding him further beneath him as he turned fully into his huge alpha werewolf. 

A key slowly turned unlocking the solid garage doors with a heavy creak.

Cas felt crushed under the weight of the paw holding him down, his nails clawed at the cold floor as the knot swelled spearing him further, more than his body could take. He peeked around the other clawed arm to where the sunlight was now slipping in under the wide door.   
Any hope of his freedom was dashed further by the sight of the two vampires. Their dull eternally undead eyes emphasized by dark heavy cloaks as the door creaked wider. They were voids of nothingness, ugly pits of empty space, everything Cas feared. He wanted to go, to run but Dean still had him. Dean who was filling with a god awful rage; Cas couldn’t tell if it was protective or possessive, if he was still mate or prey to this werewolf now. 

“Dean?” Benny asked, his voice becoming quickly drowned out by the guttural growl from the dark. He looked harder into the shadows, the looming shape he saw there was barely humanoid anymore, staring back with wild flashing eyes from where it crouched.  
“Dean? S’that you?” 

Two long ears flicked up in response, honing in on the threat to its den, its mate. 

Charlie upped her glow to illuminate the shadows. Her light revealed the huge alpha werewolf hiding there; its face screwed tight to show every inch of his huge maw as he barked a sharp roar in warning.

“Shoot? Dean?” Charlie said retreating back again. Gilda followed suit, the size of this beast doing nothing but confirm her dislike for other species.

“That’s my were!” Benny smiled, standing his ground admiring the beast he’d spent years trying to recruit as an ally. It had been truly worth his while, he’d never seen anything so brutishly powerful. He crouched down so not to appear hostile and watched the great beast flashing its eyes and teeth at him from where it crouched.   
It wasn’t moving so Benny decided he’d go in and establish contact.

“Don’t!” Andrea snapped fear tingeing her voice “Don’t go near it”

“It’s okay” Benny reassured her “He knows me”

“No don’t” Andrea persisted “It, he’s not alone” she pointed down, down to where an arm was curled protectively round a mop of dark hair the monsters paw.

Rage red eyes followed the vampires gaze and a hate filled roar boomed around the too small space of the building. The alpha had to protect what was his, and right now with two vampires looming so close that meant turning his mate, making him untouchable to them or anyone.  
He plunged down looking to claim Cas’ throat.

Cas hid from the monsters jaws, curling in tighter on himself. Teeth caught his shoulder, shaking him to submission before searching again for a perfect hold. They closed in again but round his head this time; Dean was too big for what he wanted to do here, unless he didn’t want to just claim him. Cas’ heart froze. If Dean meant to turn him, believed that that was even possible than he wouldn’t be to worried about killing him, in fact he’d be aiming to.  
Cas gripped the two upper canines closing in round his skull and putting his whole body behind it, smashed them down into the floor landing a perfect blow to Dean’s nose. 

The wolf let go to howl, the pain affecting everything inch of his body, Cas felt the knot slacken and took his chance to escape flicking out of existence completely.

The violent hate filled roar that followed was deafening.   
The were launched himself in frustrated rage but Andrea had started pulling down the solid door long ago. She held fast against the wood as the beast inside crashed against it again and again. She held strong, the look of ‘I told you so’ set firmly on her face as everyone but Benny who she had thrown well out of the way struggled to help.

“Shit” Benny said catching his breath when he was sure they were safe. “What just happened?”

“You intruded on a knot crazed alpha were” Gilda informed him flatly, hitting the door with another containment spell “You need to back off and hope he doesn’t hunt you down later for that , their cranky bastards werewolves, can hold a grudge forever”

“I didn’t know!” Benny said struggling to come to terms with this, his great plan going wrong. He’d done everything right, followed every rule in the book to achieve trust between him and Dean before...  
“No! He was single, or well, with you yesterday” He said accusingly to Charlie who he’d established a friendship with, and in front of Dean too! All the effort he’d exacted in resisting her, and all for what? Nothing, he still had a raging alpha werewolf rampaging in his garage!

Charlie pulled a face at the greedy vampire, a little haha! in her smug tone. 

“We need to get going” Gilda said reminding them all of the situation they were in “She’s almost here!” She said poofing into true form, small and feather light and already flying away. 

“Laters!” Charlie grinned about to follow “Hey Dean!” She said turning to the garage door “Make sure to catch us up! I still believe you know! In your plan for one pack!” She said unsure whether the beast she was talking to could hear let alone understand a word she was saying. She poofed herself into true form to fly quickly after Gilda.

“well?” Andrea asked Benny who was still sat in the dirt pouting. She heaved a huge sigh “Let’s go. I’m sure your dog can find his own way there”

“I guess” Benny said not daring to open the door again, no matter how cruel leaving Dean trapped behind it seemed. He took Andréa’s proffered hand and together they melted into a bat filled mist to drift away.  
~

Inside the wolf raged, pacing the floor and destroying everything he touched.   
He could smell Cas everywhere, on everything but couldn’t find him. Frustration tore at him as he reduced another skilfully carpented shelf into splinters.

Cas watched him from where he hid high up in the rafters. He could only teleport like this a small way, enough to escape any trap but it took power. He perched in his true form, perfectly black against the shadows watching the monster in its rut fuelled rage below.   
He couldn’t go back Dean was too big, had come too close to tearing him apart.   
He feared Dean wouldn’t ever stop trying to turn him. All that talk of true mate, he was properly deluded and way too uneducated about these things to ever understand.   
His heart was in the right place though, kind of. Cas couldn’t really fault him that.  
Still, Cas’ fore arm and shoulder stung with Dean’s efforts to do right by him. He turned to lick a particularly deep tooth hole in his shoulder.   
Below the wolfs rage turned to grief filled howls, much like when Cas had pulled this stunt at the house.  
Cas felt bad, the noise was pitiful but far over shadowed by steady the pull of the summoning. The vampires were gone, he was pretty sure the fairies were too. He teleported again out of the building and into the warm sun light beyond; slipping away into the long grass to follow the call.  
~

Dean raged and howled for hours, lost to his alpha wolf.   
When he finally calmed, saw passed the red the garage was gutted the boat smashed and the solid doors bent off their hinges.   
There was no sign of his friends, he sniffed round. They’d all gotten away, Cas too. He was so glad. In his feral state... he didn’t have any control in that state.   
There was blood, Cas’. It sobered him, it wasn’t much but it hinted at what he’d tried to do.   
He heaved a huge sigh and wondered how the hell he was going to fix this, if he could ever tame this alpha beast enough to ever really fix it.  
He felt determined to try.   
He gripped handle on the smaller door for the apartment with a paw, pulling it down gently so to open it and stepped out to sniff around some more. He soon found the path Cas had taken, it was small and would have been easy to miss if he hadn’t felt so determined about this. He padded easily through the grass rushing to catch everyone up.  
~

 

The trail led him to a storage unit just behind the Roadhouse.   
The mixture of scents from so many monsters in there was dizzying. There was something else too, something that made even this alpha weary. He reared up, standing tall as he walked in to find out what was happening.  
For all his height it was still hard to see, impossible to move. Everyone was in true form, different sizes, shapes, colours, types; animals, spirits even a tree was crowed into the enclosed space. They all faced the far wall as if waiting for something.

“Dean!” Charlie called perched high up on a light fixture. She fluttered down, poofing back to human size when she touched down “Oh wait, are you cool now?”

Dean shrugged, ashamed at himself.

“Cool” Charlie grinned as if all had been forgiven years ago “So that plan you had floating around at the back of your skull, we could sure use it about now”

Dean didn’t know what she was talking about, he had no plan. He took the time to look around again slightly bewildered by everything he was feeling from the crowd. Suddenly he recognised a few monsters, Lisa with pitch eyes and little black horns in a hardly there outfit, Ash transparent grey and spectre like and Jo, pale and ripped like a piece of meat left out for the crows. His blood ran cold.

Jo turned to glare at him in his true form, him and all the other werewolves with a cold hateful passion.

Dean wasn’t sure if she could tell who he was with the wolf face and all the fur, wasn’t sure if it mattered the way she was glaring felt like she’d kill him regardless.

There were worse monsters, some real evil looking shits and there were cute ones too like Charlie.   
Dean was the biggest, save for the horses, or the tree. He was the one drawing everyone’s attention, the alpha male.

“So how’s our knot crazed alpha” Gilda mocked   
“It’s all hazy” Dean confessed feeling sick “What happened?”

“You roared us all out of your sex dungeon that’s what” Gilda smirked mischievously “If it wasn’t for your poorly intended saying no to your invitation to go howl at the moon together, we’d have been wolf kibble. Well, those vamps anyway” She huffed “A little warning next time you go rutting wouldn’t hurt”

“Shit” Dean sighed remembering slight glimpses now. It was still all over shadowed by the scene around him, the murmur or fear and overpowering odour of fresh blood now filling the air.  
“So what’d I miss here?”

“Oh, everything” Charlie said “Eve’s here. She’s up front assessing us all right now”   
Charlie cast her eyes down; Gilda had materialized beside her and she was now searching for her hand to squeeze.

“I’m sorry” Gilda whispered, her tone was still dry as ever but there was a whisper of sincerity in there too if you squinted hard enough. “I didn’t know, I wish now...”

Dean looked to the front of the building where there was an eerie shell pink glow against the blackness of a scorched wall.   
A voice picked up, panicked, before the pink light intensified. There was a sort of flash, a burst of pure power, and then nothing. Only a hush, and a sort of red mist floating up over the crowd. 

Dean didn’t ask, he knew it was the blood he could taste.

“She’s finding us wanting” Charlie said “Pure blood, turned we all mean nothing to her”

Dean’s hackles rose his anger spiking at the implications of that. “I’m gonna go to take a look” He growled.   
He pushed through the crowd his anger building with every step. His skin itched with his building rage at what everyone here; his friends were waiting to happen to them.   
He let that fury fill him, let himself stretch and shift with it to become huge again. He wasn’t going to lose it this time, he was determined to stay in control.

“Dean!” A hand tugged on his fingers childishly, it was Garth struggling to speak in his were form “Alpha! She’s killing us!”

“Dean?” Another wolf, John spoke

“Dad?” Dean barked realising how far gone he already was, words were hard to understand and his father so, so small. 

John looked apologetic “its hopeless son”

“Oh Dean!” Kate yipped avidly as ever to see pack, she scented the air “You mated?” She smiled trying to hide her sorrow that such a good thing should come so late for him “Congratulations!”

John stopped moping and stood a little taller “you look good” He said taking in Dean’s strength and size “strong, is she here? You’re mate” He asked curious as to who he had to thank for saving his son even if it had come too late.

“Uh” Dean growled stupidly, despite everything he still felt like a kid under all this, “He...” Dean said waiting a moment for that to sink in.   
There was a brief look of surprise but nothing more, so Dean cleared his throat and carried on “he disappeared actually”

John looked horrified at that, but Kate cut in “Well tell us about him why don’t you? How’d you meet?”

Dean looked around he really didn’t have time, or maybe he did pack, family, that was everything wasn’t it? “He was one of those staying at the house when you were away”

“Did you turn him? Make it official?” John asked like this was the most important thing.

“No” Dean said remembering small flashes of Cas terrified beneath him with some guilt.

“Honey” Kate said grimacing “Uh when you uh, when you mate with someone properly you have to turn them, otherwise, well, you might end up killing them”

Dean spluttered crudely, it was the least of his worries yet so easily could have been all of them “Bit late for that now don’t you think?”

John looked away, “I was going to explain it all to you, I guess I was just waiting for the right time, when you were dating or um, had questions about why things were uh, working differently”

Dean nodded as embarrassed as John was. They were still in the middle of a crowded hall, it was hardly the place.  
“Well luckily it turned out he was omega anyway” Dean shrugged letting it go “But yeah, that talk might have helped, a lot of stuff might have helped” 

“Wait, omega?” Kate asked 

“Thought they’d gone long ago” Garth said “But then I thought that about alphas till recently”

“What’s omega?” John said confused

“Are you sure of this?” Kate asked

“I guess” Dean said “He had the slick and stuff”

“Then that proves it!” Kate said growing excited “Dean, mating an omega is most powerful kind of union an alpha can ask for! You have to find him! The pack might prove an asset to her then” She said glancing around to pull the pack closer together “we might survive this!” 

“Yes!” Garth smiled triumphantly punching the air “You’ll lead us out of here!” 

“And everyone else?” Dean asked

“She’s only interested in strength” John huffed.  
The burst of light lit up again, dazzlingly bright before dulling to make way for the red mist as if to prove his point.

“She can’t do this!” Dean growled growing agitated. 

“No! You can’t stop it! She’s a goddess!” Kate barked after him “Find the omega! Find him and save us!” 

“There’s no time!” Dean said decisively “This has to end now!” He started pushing his way toward Eve again.

“We should follow?” Garth asked, too afraid to move 

“And challenge a goddess? No!” Kate spat, “He’s crazy! We’re sticking together. We’ve all got more chance that way” She said looking at the weaker members among them   
“And besides, he’s not asking for help”

Beta logic told Garth that this was true but at times like these when the threat was unavoidable, this was when the pack should be turning to its alpha and if that alpha said fight than shouldn’t they? No matter what? After all alphas were pure strength and it was strength that was being valued here. Then another thing occurred to Garth, something he really wished hadn’t   
“What if he thinks he’s stronger without us?” 

Kate paled; she looked her pack over again. Adam, still so small; John still crushed at losing his sons. Garth and his group all light weights and her own ragtag group of ageing relatives.   
She steeled herself, balling her fists and summoning up every ounce of fury she had. They were what they were and they were her family, she was doing this.  
“We’re werewolves” She announced “the strongest monster there is. Better than all this riffraff, better than everything in this room put together because we are pack. Together we’re going be more than worthy” She said firmly wishing deep down that her words were coming from someone else, an alpha in fact. But if she was all this pack had than she was going to do her damndest to give them her all.   
Her words had the desired effect her pack stopped stooping, edged a little closer to stand resolute and as one. Kate smiled, she wasn’t about to march them toward their fate but she was going to be real proud to stand with them when their turn came.

~

Dean pushed on.  
Seeing family had helped bring his anger back under control but the closer he got to that pink glow the wilder, more infuriated his alpha became. It demanded a stop to all this, an end to all the fear it was feeling all around him.  
At least that’s how it started.   
Somewhere along the way when that righteous rage enveloped him completely, he realised just a moment too late that it might also be Eve calling the monster inside of him out like a moon at its fullest. Welcoming home the dark rage that she had gifted the first of his species so long ago.  
He was bigger now, stronger than he’d ever been before.  
Beneath him things cowered, insignificant as dirt under his paws. 

All except one. 

Her. 

Eve.   
She was the only thing through the dirt and the blood red rage that the Alpha beast could see.  
She appeared humble, a small human beautiful and soft amid the chaos of scorch marks and body parts around her. 

She stopped in her work to smile at him appreciatively.  
“Finally” She spoke and her voice was sweet and clear, cutting through the roar of the Alpha’s inner turmoil like a bell.   
“Here is a child I can be proud of, here is my creation”   
She reached out to pet him. 

The wolf, equal in height now to a bull elephant, whose face was so twisted with the pain of holding all the wrath inside him that it frothed just to stand still, bowed to her hand.

“You will command my new army” Eve said, “You will bring about my new order. Creating a haven for me and my children to live in”

Her words made perfect sense to the Alpha, this was what it was in his nature to do. To fight for a place for pack, to fight for the glory of leading them there.

“Children!” Eve said pulling the attention of some truly twisted looking monsters to her left “Your Alpha! Alpha, your army!” She said proudly

The Alpha regarded his army, all those Eve had found ‘worthy’ so far.  
Whatever they had been was indistinguishable now. 

“I’ve improved them of course” Eve said “rewarded each of these lesser alphas with all the best elements from all my creations; I’ve made them perfect”

They weren’t perfect; they were disordered jumbles of confusion at what had befallen them, what they were supposed to do with so much rage and conflicting powers now.   
In short they needed order. 

The Alpha growled commanding them to submit. 

The army, all fifteen of them howled defiantly as their bodies obeyed to kneel. 

It wasn’t efficient or pretty but they were under control.   
The Alpha reached to touch them all emotionally, to try and understand this pack.  
They were as chaotic inside as they were out. The Alpha was taken aback by this, unable to fathom how anything could be so at war with its self. He concentrated harder puzzling through it all.   
There was too much there, yet there was nothing at all. They lacked any sort of focus for all their power and hatred. They were just malevolence embodied for malevolencies’ sake, they’d be just as happy to claw themselves apart to satisfy their need for bloodlust and chaos as they would all Eve’s enemies.  
The Alpha would have to work hard to bring these things together as a team, perhaps even order every move they made to keep some semblance of order between them.  
But if that’s what it was going to take to create the perfect territory than the Alpha decided that that was what he would do. As alien as these things seemed to him they were perfect, willing and strong and so so capable of achieving everything this pack needed of them

Eve smiled; her Alpha beast was perfection, her army, all the finest elements from all her past imaginings was now under control. Her wild dreams were finally going to be reality.  
“We have power here to level everything!” She announced proudly.”It’s high time we finished up and got on with that” She said glancing round to make sure there were no more alpha beasts worthy of any note out there. She sighed gently in disappointment; all the beta’s still subconsciously tied to their reason and then the omegas, still more slave to their own desires than truly wild... All these were useless to her. None of them were capable of giving fully to their ideal monster state.  
“We’ll destroy the rest” She said dismissively reaching down into the small insignificant things still kneeling in fear around her.

A small black fox edged in blue raced forward. Tail held high like a dodgem it skidded to a halt between them. Eve the mother of darkness one side and her mighty Alpha leader the other, he stood defiantly crackling blue with magical energy.

Eve laughed “Silly goose” she said lifting the fox easily by the scruff, and dangling it precariously “Your infantile tricks are dated. Your kind diminished for good reason” She said studying this, one of her earliest designs to turn humans against everything, even themselves as they questioned their very morality. As fun as it had been to watch it had been a slow way to destroy one of the God’s most beloved creations. She lost that kind of patience a long time ago.  
“Join them” She said concluding its fate.

The fox built up his charge anyway. She was right he was useless against her but by hitting her Alpha he could perhaps summon back his human side, the memory of fear and of family.   
He built up his charge, everything he had left to give and released it all.

The Alpha twitched a little, through the thick fog of bloodlust and vengeance and red hot rage filling his mind, he remembered.   
He remembered being very small, another victim of Eve’s dark rage. A rage that hadn’t touched upon the gods she was avenging herself against, a rage that hadn’t achieved anything in fact other than hurt the lives of so many weak creatures like he had once been.  
The Alpha saw his mother’s sacrifice, remembered leaving his father to witness the worst of his nightmares. And then he saw a new fear, a world where there was only rage, empty of everything Eve saw no value in.   
A world where, like his mother, everything weak burned.  
Everything save one, perhaps the weakest of them all. A self made goddess who right from the start had needed protecting. It made no sense to him, it was suddenly all so wrong.

Eve’s hand lit up powder pink. She held her palm up to the little foxes face giggling as it bared its teeth to her. She began to burn it out of existence. 

The Alpha’s eyes lit up with such fury. He growled snapping his teeth hard in warning.

Eve paused just shy of touching her victim, turning back to regard the Alpha were again. Had she missed something? Some trait that made it weak like all the rest? She checked again, it was still all there, all the rage of her own dark heart reflected back at her and maybe a little more. She’d angered it somehow, angered it with her evaluation of these omega’s and betas maybe.  
“Know your master!” She scolded, 

The Alpha still disagreed, snapping its teeth hard in rebellion.

Eve sighed again as she was forced to explain “There has never been room for weakness. My decision to end this now for this, for them, it is a kindness!” She said resting her hand again on the fox.

The Alpha launched himself at her, fuelled by all those visions of home and running and burning flashing behind his eyes. Fuelled by what it was like being on the other end of such judgement.

Around him he felt a raise in the irrelevant dirt, a sudden feeling of hope. It steeled him, strengthened his resolve to knock Eve further to the ground with a quick sharp shake, to impose all his anguish harder.

The fox jumped free, hopping down to join a crowd of similar sized forest creatures. It sat watching the Alpha with the all the others in the room waiting for what would happen next.

The Alpha caught the trail of its scent, its lingering heat and realised without doubt that he’d somehow found his true mate. Everything else was forgotten, all that mattered now was how impossibly tiny, how unachievably distant his mate was suddenly to him now.

Eve gasped in horror at seeing her Alpha so easily stolen away from her. Without him she had as little control over her army’s wild ragings as she did her own. She screeched in fury reminding the Alpha that he still had her in its teeth. 

The Alpha roared, his anger renewed and shook again, wanting to take out every frustration he’d ever felt on her... he stopped quite suddenly; there was some conflict in his actions. The pack around him, the pure bred monsters at least still valued their goddess and this was blasphemy in the extreme.

The Alpha served his pack, there was a huge mixture of views so he ultimately looked to his mate for a final decision.

The pure blood fox was content not have an opinion. Now that no one was being burnt he had no quarrel with the goddess or anyone, better to let someone else decide their fate.

The Alpha took from the fox’s calmness and waited while the crowd deliberated.

“You can’t kill me!” Eve spat as the mutterings turned into lengthy debates, “If all the Gods couldn’t than you certainly don’t have a hope. But I will compromise with you; I will let you live. In fact I will go one better, I will gift you more of my power, I will make you all vastly stronger; but in return you must do this for me. You must work continuously to destroy all the gods, guaranteeing all our safety forever”

Again the debates started, betas arguing so many angles. Turned, pure blooded even different species of monster each had an opinion, all needed to be voiced at once.

It was more than the Alpha could take; he growled for them all to unite; they were after all made from the same magic, fuelled by the same dark rage, they were all together one pack with just one goal here! 

Still they argued. The temptation of Eve’s gift swaying many opinions, Cas’ included. His ears had perked the moment it was mentioned and now the lure was proving too much. His head was still burning from her last touch but he stepped closer anyway. His want for a new kind of high, his need to taste from a gods stolen power was too great a chance for him to pass on. He wasn’t even going to wait for the packs finale verdict; he wanted this too bad.

The Alpha came to his own decision. Eve touching his mate again, even willingly was out of the question, he couldn’t watch Cas be twisted or burnt. He couldn’t lose any more than he already had. 

“SHE’S GOING BACK” He ordered making the decision for everyone.

“No you can’t!” Eve spat furious as Dean released her. Pulling herself up to her full height and calling up all her intense power and rage to order her creations herself “I’m your maker, your Goddess more powerful than all of you combined!”

“The burning, the fighting the revenge stops here” The Alpha, or Dean said shrinking down a little to become more himself and less a slave to just instincts “FAIRES WITCHES, YOU OPENED THIS DOOR ONCE, DO IT AGAIN” he ordered.

The magical creatures combined to create the necessary spell, far quicker now as there was already so much energy concentrated within the room.

A portal opened, dark and ugly.

“GO!” Dean ordered while kicking Cas back from her and forcing others to stay back away.

Eve stood resolute, grinning as her pure bred more power hungry children advanced “You can’t order me!”

“Well it was worth a try because my next idea is really nasty” Dean said taking a deep breath “Dear Gods, any of you who just might happen to still have your ears on” He said punching a vampire down preventing it from getting any closer to her and steepling his hands “I know I haven’t had much to say in a while, but today I have the mother of all problems needing to be dealt with”

Eve wavered, “No! You can’t!! You’re all as much an abomination as I am! They’ll destroy us all!”

“EVERYONE! I NEED YOU WITH ME FOR THIS!” Dean ordered unperturbed.

Everyone, (that could) joined their hands to pray despite believing Eve’s warning to be true, they had no choice; it was an order.

“NOW ALTOGETHER! OUR FATHERS, WHO ART IN VARIOUS KINDS OF HEAVENS”

Eve screeched that they would dare to do this but stopped when she saw the worst of the god’s flick into existence amongst the crowd. 

Short and unassuming the short bearded God watched her whimper and run into the portal with much satisfaction. Then, curious to see what these monsters were going to do next, he casually lingered in the background before ultimately deciding what he would do next.

“There” Dean said as the portal snapped shut. He looked about smiling widely at his own genius when nothing seemed out of place “There. Sorted and no gods! Doubt quite honestly if any of them ever gave a damn” he said brushing off the whole affair.

The room was still. Everyone suspended in shocked disbelief. But it was true,nothing in fact had changed.

“So where does this leave us now?” a small voice, Kevin, asked. Addressing no one in particular but all eyes turned to their Alpha anyway

“You’re the betas and whatever” Dean told him, them, the room in general “you think of something”

“O-k-a-y” Kevin said as no one else was going to make any kind of a stand “Then need to start putting together all our plans, and maybe organise some sort of democracy” he said growing excited as he’d been studying politics and such passionately, and uselessly since his death, for a while now. 

“Yeah do that” Dean said leaving them to it.  
Voices lifted behind him as betas everywhere started bursting with ideas again. It was weird, the spell was gone; the force keeping them lifted, yet the pull for everyone to stay was now somehow stronger than ever before.  
The god among them grew a pair of fangs so to fit in better as ideas and plans spiralled out of control. A magical forest for dryads and talking beasts. A lake, or swamp at least for the kelpie and water nymphs to live and of course they’d need more housing and maybe some sort of governing system that could one day earn them a place back among human society.   
The success of Ellen’s Roadhouse as a sanctuary for lost spirits and, unwittingly other stray monsters had given everyone had a new ideal to work toward. Expanding it became everyone’s common cause, something every species could agree on.  
The more the god heard the keener he became on sticking around and watching how this strange little hodgepodge of a creation worked out.

~

Dean mean while had was shrinking down, back to a normal size for a were. That was it job done as far as he was concerned.  
He watched the fox, Cas looking small and apologetic if a fox could look that way as it wavered round the spot where Eve and her promise of power had disappeared.   
The unusually dark fur and blue eyes made the animal seem larger than life, mystical even. But in every other way it was just a fox, small and slightly smelly with several wounds hindering its movements as it sniffed around again.

Dean remembered causing at least one of those wounds, he stooped down to touch a bite mark across the fox’s shoulder, to try and apologise or maybe just to sooth the fur at least.

The fox bit his fingers, hissing till he withdrew his still huge werewolf frame completely.  
Dean crouched back as the fox watched him suspiciously; this wasn’t the outcome he’d expected. Before he could think too long on it there was another commotion behind them.  
John was pushing his way over, his eyes tearing up as he pulled Dean into a tight hug. The rest of the pack were not far behind, they all gathered round, jubilant at how everything had worked out.

“So what now?” Kate asked, “Will you stay on Benny’s land or will you come back with us? An alpha and omega pairing would make us like royalty in pack society!” She gushed enthusiastically “not that you haven’t already achieved that with everything!” she added rather apologetically

Dean looked at John who was looking down; willingly losing his leadership without a fight.   
It broke Dean’s heart a little “I’m not sure what we want yet” he said looking round to make sure his mate was still there, the fox was, still staring with cold disapproval “We need to talk about all that, the future and everything first”

John recognized a familiar scent “We?” He asked looking round for what in the crowd of creatures he was picking up on, it wasn’t a wolf of that he was sure “As in you and that?”

“Yeah that’s Cas” Dean said as the foxed hissed dramatically at him again.

“Oh” Kate stuttered, her words catching in her throat “I thought, I’d assumed he’d be another were”

“Does it matter?” Dean asked giving up on trying to get anywhere near to Cas, it was too damn embarrassing.

“It’s a fox” Kate said cringing

“He’s an omega, and my mate” Dean said defensively “Thought that counted for something?”

“Son” John said his voice apologetic to the extreme “It, he doesn’t feel the same way” He said feeling nothing but fear rolling off of the small animal bristling at them, he could tell that Dean believed every word he was saying though and that made this all the harder “You’re mistaken. The bonds supposed to go both ways for you to be mates, that things just tricked you, it’s what their kind do to get what they want”

“No, you’re wrong, he’s just pissed that I kind of kicked him” Dean said defiantly but even so, the pack were still very much against this purely on the basis of Cas being a fox. Dean growled warning them all to back off, looking again to check Cas was still with him.

The fox had already slipped away, disappearing easily between the legs of the crowd. 

“Excuse me” Dean said rushing to follow.  
He pushed and barged his way through, his size hindering him with every step while the black shadow of the fox slipped easily away.

“Dean!” Sam cried pouncing on his brother “I'm sorry, I’m so so sorry!” He said squeezing Dean tight

“Don’t be” Dean said feeling Sam’s sincerity. “It’s over! And look! Everyone’s wanting change now, we’re all coming out of the dark ages” Dean told him remembering that this had been their goal so long ago when it had just been them and their little pack of medieval weres. 

“Yeah” Sam smiled letting himself bask in that a just little, still he wished it had come about differently, that he’d acted better than he maybe had but, like always, hind sight will always be a bitch.   
“And you?” Sam said becoming distracted by the lack of sour smell and a new kind of lightness about his brother “You’re mated?” He guessed taking the raise in colour to Deans ears as confirmation “When? And to who?”

“Cas” Dean said “You know Steve or Jimmy or whatever”

“Really? You’re gay? Since when?” 

“He’s omega, actually” Dean corrected “It’s different” 

“Uh, If you say so” Sam smirked “So where is he? Or more importantly what is he we never did figure him out”

“He’s a kitsune, type of eastern foxy type spirit”

“Wow, that’s um. Foxes Dean, their bad. Like really bad”

“Says who?” Dean said angering again all too quickly

“Everyone!” Sam said defensively “literally every nation has its folk stories warning you about them”

“Well I guess I’ll have to be careful then” Dean said in a tone warning that this conversation was over. “So how about you and Ruby?” He asked changing the subject to something just as difficult.

“The plans still uni” Sam smiled because they could really do that now “You?”

“Find Cas work and something out” Dean huffed 

“Good luck Dean” Sam said, his finale warning on the matter.

“You too” Dean said not fancying his brothers chances either but this was life full of uncertainty, for all of them now.

They both went their separate ways with Dean soon bumping into Charlie next.  
“Man, I am so sorry about all the ordering!” he said seeing her “I hear it feels like shit!”

“Eh” Charlie smiled “Ya do what’chu gotta do! And if the proof really is in the pudding then I guess this pie is turning out all right so far”

“So what now?” He asked

“Back to our wood, this is nice and everything, maybe we’ll visit” Charlie smiled 

“Just not sure we trust all the locals yet” Gilda pouted still glancing around suspiciously.

“Well stay in touch” Dean smiled pulling Charlie in for a hug and delivering a light punch to Gilda’s shoulder.

“We might” Gilda replied, her tone playfully threatening.

“Though I think you’re going to be a little too busy to care about us” Charlie said quite seriously “After all change takes time and a heck of a load of practice”

Again Dean had no idea what she was on about but knew he had to get on if he wanted to catch his fox up so waved his goodbye and continued on.

Next there was Benny surrounded by Vamps and blood sucking types including the sheriff’s niece and the creepy German. Dean was glad he’d finally found the company he craved. Andréa was ecstatic none of them were werewolves this time.  
Then he saw Ellen of course and Jo, who begrudgingly told him she could maybe forgive him for his being a were, maybe, as he was cute.  
Dean smiled at that but reminded her that while she was a permanent prom queen he was steadily getting older and had now several years on her compared to when they’d first met.  
Jo pushed him aside and told him she was offering an olive branch not discovering some new level of desperation to sink into.  
Dean hugged her anyway glad they were back to how they were again.

He noticed how he seemed to be saying the same sort of thing to everyone he met after that. Making his peace without really realising he was doing it, somewhere along the way he’d decided he was saying goodbye. He guessed he’d known that this was what he wanted all along, the moment Cas had put his arms round Jerk and wanted to take him with him. 

He reached the wide doors opening up to the outside world. Unsure of what would come next he hesitated, taking a deep breath and letting it all go before stepping out.

The fox was still there, waiting.   
In the light of day it was more brown than black with more cuts and scrapes than Dean had noticed. Dean was fully human now having let go all the anger, all the power being a monster took.   
Now he was just Dean and the fox seemed to approve letting him get closer this time; only moving away when he got to near.  
It hesitated to leave completely, kept turning this way and that as if unsure in itself.

“Look I was wrong to try and turn you” Dean said “But this” he said gesturing between them “I’m right about this, for better or worse, where you go I go now”

The fox coughed hard at that, making its mind up to leave and trotted off across the car park

Dean slipped into wolf form to follow, catching up easily with his longer gait till the fox purposely ducked through a too slim gap in the chain link fence surrounding the place.

He stopped as if daring the wolf to follow.

Dean could have jumped over but that wasn’t the answer. He had to do more. He let go some more if he wanted this, to change, to be something less violent less menacing, something simpler and less harmful to Cas.  
He cleared his mind of everything, everything too big, or too or now out of his control. He unburdened himself from his responsibilities and let go, escaping back into that pure wolf he’d once been before. Free. Free from power and control, free from burden and priorities it was just him now, or rather them. 

The fox watched with much interest, tilting his head as Dean released all his precious power, everything his pack valued him for, he threw it all out like hot air from his system.  
He should have been less appealing with each shift down in size, should have been as it was that same power that made him alpha, but Cas didn’t care somehow.

Dean was smaller now less than half his human body, the size of a jackal in fact.  
He panted with exhaustion at all the exertion it had cost him but slipped through the gap now with ease. It wasn’t enough, it was too easy and he’d done it so fast, the last mile, a point of no return beckoned.

The fox still watched the Jackal shrink further, watched as its tail and it’s ears tweaked into a more familiar shape. He twitched his tail nervously as something new started to happen. Something started to feel differently between them. Cas raced back ecstatically to lick and nuzzle under Dean’s now red foxy chin.   
He felt it, what Dean had felt all along, the true mate bond settling all over, overwhelming his senses and taking him over completely.

Now it was the red fox’s turn to look smug, he’d known, just known deep down all along. Even when such a thing was beyond his perception he knew he yearned for something impossible to imagine.   
The two foxes slipped playfully away, lost to themselves they disappearing into the wild undergrowth completely.

~

 

Years later Sam received a postcard from Patagonia with the message ‘wish you were here bitch’ in a familiar scrawl on the back. He smiled warmly and popped it with the others he’d received over the years, all equally as endearing.

Jess watched him adding to his collection “Who the hell sends these?” She asked

“My brother”

“Oh” She replied simply, in the year they’d been dating Sam had never before mentioned family “Will he coming to your graduation?”

“Nah he’s busy, he keeps an eye on me though I’m sure” Sam said knowing this to be true, the fairy rings round campus suggested the supernatural was never too far away and now that everyone was so connected...

“Shame, I’d love a chance to meet your family,” She said picking yet another dog hair off of Sam’s lapel. For a guy who didn’t own a dog it was strange he was always covered in the same light brown tufts of fur “there seems so much I don’t know about you” Jess mused picking again at the prickly subject of Sam’s past.

Sam glanced again at the postcards, wondered what Dean was doing right now, wondered about his father and friends at the Roadhouse, everything that had happened in the years that he’d been away.  
Maybe it was time, maybe he was ready to reconnect with that side of him.   
“The thing is... “Sam started reluctantly.

Jess pounced on this rare chance “Yes” She said enthusiastically

“Well it takes some believing and once you know, well, there’s no turning back” He warned

“Try me” Jess said with all the confidence her time practicing as a lawyer had afforded her.

Sam felt a shift in him, not only was he really properly now ready for this, he was ready to admit he’d been wrong about the true whole mate thing. He’d found something here, something magic. “Have you ever seen a how a fairy ring works?”

“What? No?” Jess laughed, but then seriously she countered “Have you?”

“Think I remember the words” Sam said bracing himself for a little impromptu reunion at last “Come on, i think I’ve got some important friends I’d like you to meet”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that’s it, it wandered way off topic, everything changed and it became a whole new beast somewhere along the way but there that’s it, it’s done. 
> 
> And just in time for the new season to start YAY!  
> It could be better I’m sure but I’m satisfied enough, thanks for all the messages and kudos along the way! It’s meant a lot to know others have enjoyed this <3


End file.
